Emmitsburg, Md. (January 31, 2021)--The backcourt combination of Josh Reaves and Damian Chong Qui combined for 44 points to lead Mount St. Mary's to a 76-64 win over Sacred Heart at Knott Arena on Sunday afternoon.  The victory gives the Mount a split of its two-game series with the Pioneers.  The Mount improves to 6-7 overall and 5-4 in the Northeast Conference.

Reaves finished the day with a career-high 22 points while adding four steals in his first collegiate 20-point effort.  The freshman was 8-for-11 from the field and 5-of-7 from three-point range in the victory.  Chong Qui finished with 22 points and a game-high seven assists for the Mountaineers.  Malik Jefferson chipped in 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds for his ninth career double-double with Mezie Offurum finishing with 10 points and four steals.  Nana Opoku chipped in eight points, eight rebounds and three blocks in the victory as well.

The duo of Chong Qui and Reaves played a key role as the Mount raced to a 45-29 lead at the half.  Reaves scored 13 points in the opening stanza with Chong Qui adding 12 as the pair combined to go 9-of-14 from the field and 6-of-8 from three-point range.  The 45 points were the most in a half this season as the Mount shot 58.1 percent (18-of-31) from the field and 6-of-9 (.667) from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes.

The Mount took control of the first half with a 14-0 run to take a 30-15 advantage with 6:40 remaining.  A Reaves jumper got the run started, and a pair of dunks kept the momentum going.  Chong Qui fed Opoku for an alley-oop slam and Offurum followed with a breakaway jam after a steal to put the Mount ahead, 22-15.  Malik Jefferson, Chong Qui and Jalen Jefferson each added buckets with Chong Qui and Opoku splitting a pair of free throws each to close out the run.  Malik Jefferson scored the final six points of the half for the Mount, the final coming on a lay-up after a feed from Chong Qui to make it 45-29 at the break.

Reaves connected on back-to-back triples early in the second half to give the Mount its biggest lead of the game, 51-33, with 17:47 remaining in the contest.  The Pioneers (6-6, 6-5 NEC) rallied with a 26-to-8 run to cut the Mount's advantage to one, 60-59, on a Bryce Johnson three-point play with 7:49 on the clock.

Mount St. Mary's regained control by scoring the next nine points to put the lead back to double figures.  Opoku hit a pair of free throws to start the decisive run, and Reaves followed with a clutch jumper from the left baseline to make it 64-59 with 5:53 left.  Malik Jefferson's lay-up made it a seven-point lead, and Chong Qui connected on a long three-pointer from right in front of the Mount bench for a 69-61 advantage with 3:48 on the clock. 

The Mount finished the game 27-of-56 (.482) from the field and 10-of-17 (.588) from three-point range.  The Mountaineers held a 37-to-25 edge on the boards while committing just seven turnovers in the game.  Sacred Heart shot 25-of-55 (.457) in the game, including 8-of-22 (.364) from beyond the arc.

Malik Jefferson has tallied double figures in rebounds in each of the Mount's past three games, averaging 10.3 points and 11.7 rebounds over that stretch.  Opoku's three blocks give him 129 for his career, good for fifth on the Mount's all-time list.  Opoku had nine blocks in the two games.

The Mount is back in action with a two-game set at Bryant on February 4-5.  Tip-off for both games with be 4:00 p.m.