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BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - Redshirt junior Christian Mortellite (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) led five players in double figures with 25 points as the Bloomsburg University men's basketball team held off pesky Lincoln University, 87-81, on Tuesday night at the Nelson Field House in the home opener. Bloomsburg improved to 2-0 on the young season while the Lions remained winless as they fell to 0-3.

Mortellite finished the night hitting 9-of-16 from the field, including 4-of-7 from three-point range, and 3-of-4 from the foul line for his game-high 25 points. His four triples moved him into sole possession of fifth place on the program's all-time career three-pointers list with 125 as he moved past both Aaron Carter (1998-02) and Mike Cheatle (2004-06), who both finished their careers with 122. His 25 points also pulled him to within 84 points of becoming the 29th player in school history to record 1,000 points for his career.

Junior Karonn Davis (Philadelphia, Pa./Friends' Central (Niagara Univ.)) also had a solid night for the Huskies, chipping in 15 points, six assists, and four rebounds. Junior Carnell McGirt (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic (Valley Forge Military Academy)) added 14 points and eight rebounds while senior Malik Sneed (Washington, D.C./Spingarn (Prince George's CC)) posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds to go along with three blocked shots. Junior Kyle-Michael Rose (Middletown, Del./Sanford School (Highland CC)) was the final player in double figures as he finished with 11 points.

The Huskies built up a 15-point lead, 64-49, with 11:53 left in regulation before Lincoln went on a 18-4 run over the next five minutes to get as close as 68-67 with 6:51 left. However, back-to-back baskets by Sneed and Rose, over the next 45 seconds, gave the Huskies a little breathing room, 72-67, with just over six minutes remaining. After a pair of foul shots by Davis with 2:51 left gave the Huskies an eight-point lead, the Lions put together one last-ditch effort at a comeback. Vernon Young hit a pair of shots, Jordan Watson nailed a triple, and Malachi Seney made a jumper with 13 seconds left, offset by a three-point play from Rose, to cut the Huskies' lead to 83-81 with 13 seconds remaining.

The Lions, forced to foul, sent Davis back to the free throw line with 12 seconds left and the junior promptly sank both to extend the lead to four points. Watson missed a contested layup at the other end and Rose hit both free throws with just over a second left for the final margin of victory.

The hosts jumped out to a 16-9 lead with 13:57 left in the first half thanks, largely, to hot starts by Davis and McGirt. The duo combined for 13 of the team's first 16 points with Mortellite adding a three-pointer for the other scoring. But, the Lions caught fire from beyond the arc and went on a 15-4 run to take their largest lead of the night, 24-20, with 10:44 left in the first half after a three-pointer from Sean James. The Huskies scored the next seven points, with Sneed scoring four of them, to regain the lead, 27-24, with 7:16 left in the opening twenty minutes.

Bloomsburg would not relinquish the lead from that point.

The Huskies took a 44-37 lead at halftime, building the advantage up to as many as nine points after a layup from junior Khyree Hunt-Hawkins (Philadelphia, Pa./George Washington (Baltimore City CC)) with 30 seconds remaining. Lincoln's Khayyir Laws nailed a jumper just before the buzzer as the Huskies settled for the seven-point advantage at halftime.

Rose gave Bloomsburg its first double-digit lead of the game with a three-point play to start the second half and the Huskies saw their lead extend to as many as 15 points on two different occasions - after a three-pointer by Mortellite with 13:41 left and then again after Sneed hit 1-of-2 foul shots with 11:53 remaining.

The Huskies shot 47.5% from the field (29-of-61) and converted 24 of their 35 free throw attempts (68.6%) on the night. In addition to the five double-digit scorers, the Huskies also got solid contributions from junior Alex Prislupsky (Olyphant, Pa./Mid-Valley), who finished with six points and three rebounds, and senior Donell Diggs (Washington, D.C./Takoma Academy (Prince George's CC)), who had only two points but had five assists and one steal. Hunt-Hawkins made his only basket of the night late in the first half.

The Lions stayed hot from long range all night and their three-point shooting kept them in the contest. Lincoln connected on 14-of-27 three-point attempts (51.9%) and actually shot better from three-point range than it did from inside the arc (15-of-38; 39.5%). Joshua Davis led the Lions with 20 points and 12 rebounds while James (15) and Young (14) also finished in double figures.

Bloomsburg held a 41-33 edge in rebounds with 17 of the Huskies' rebounds on the offensive glass. Both teams, meanwhile, had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio - Lincoln had 15 assists to 12 turnovers while the Huskies had 17 dimes and only nine miscues on the night.

The Huskies will jump into conference action on Saturday afternoon, November 19, when they entertain PSAC West-rival, Pitt-Johnstown, at the Nelson Field House. Start time is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.