Stricker shot 11-for-14 from the field to lead the attack as the Bulldogs improve to 10-4 overall and 2-3 in the Freedom Conference. The loss drops the Aggies to 4-11 overall and 1-4 in the Freedom Conference. DSU shot 45.9 percent from the floor and held a 46-30 edge on the glass. DSU did commit 15 turnovers to just 13 for the Aggies.
This game was close throughout the entire contest. Tied at 17 midway thru the first half, DSU used an 11-3 run to take an eight point lead, 28-20, with 8:42 to go. Freshman Jeff Raimo, senior Mike Zinn and junior Sedale Walton all connected on treys during the run and junior Marvin Satchell capped the run with a baseline jumper.
Still leading by eight at the 3:33 mark of the opening half, DVC closed the gap with a 7-2 run including a trey at the halftime buzzer by Ryan Thomas who had five of the seven points during the spurt. His buzzer beating trey made it 38-35 at the break.
The Aggies stayed close thru the first four minutes of the second half as Pat Lenahan nailed a three-pointer at the 15:54 mark to make it a 42-41 game. Four different Bulldogs scored in a 9-0 run that answered Lenahan’s trey making the score 51-41 but DVC scored the next six points to cut the margin back down to four points, 51-47.
The game was back and forth the rest of the way with DeSales chipping away at a bigger lead throughout. A trey by Zinn at the 5:03 mark made it 64-53, but the Aggies fought back to get within five at the 1:46 mark before an off-balance jumper as the shot clock was winding down by Zinn at the 1:09 mark made it 68-61 and DSU never looked back.
In addition to Stricker’s big game, Zinn totaled 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting from deep. Walton came off the bench to tally 10 points and grab seven rebounds to lead the Bulldogs.
Junior Isaiah Pinckney totaled 18 points to lead the Aggies and Josh Taylor came off the bench for 10 points in the losing effort. Jason Seipt finished with a game-high six assists.