Box Score NEWBURGH, N.Y. – While shooting better than 50-percent from the field and posting an assist-to-turnover ratio of three to one, the Mount Saint Mary College men's basketball team defeated Yeshiva University, 86-53, on Wednesday to claim their first Skyline Conference win of the season.  The Knights improved to 4-3 overall (1-2 Skyline), while the Maccabees dropped to 2-7 overall (2-3 Skyline).

Following a hot start for both teams, Mount senior Carlos Valdez (Carolina, Puerto Rico) put home a feed from junior Dylan McCann (Staten Island, N.Y.) to give the Knights a 16-12 lead just six minutes in.  Mount Saint Mary would take control of the opening half with a 14-2 run and a three-pointer from junior Lenny Ragaglia (Staten Island, N.Y.) at the 4:18 mark pushed the Mount lead to 20 (40-20).  Yeshiva would close the half on a 12-4 run and trailed 44-32 at the break.

The Maccabees would cut the deficit to single digits in the early moments of the second half, but Mount Saint Mary stretched the lead back to 20 with a 14-4 run.  Valdez capped the decisive run with a fast break dunk at the 6:53 mark that made it 67-47.  Yeshiva wouldn't threaten again, as the Knights eased to an 86-53 win.

Mount senior Kevin Milella (Floral Park, N.Y.) led all scorers with 19 points on 8-of-11 from the field.  Valdez fell shy of his sixth consecutive double-double, but still finished with 16 points and eight rebounds.  Sophomore Donte Howell (Baldwin, N.Y.) also reached double figures with 12 points.

Yeshiva juniors Dovie Hoffman (Tarzana, Calif.) and Shlomo Weissberg (Skokie, Ill.) led the Macs with 12 points each.  The visitors suffered from 23 turnovers, due in large part to a first-half injury to senior point guard Omer Haim (Rehovot, Israel).  The turnovers resulted in 33 points for the Mount.

Mount Saint Mary connected at 51.5-percent for the game and held a 33-29 advantage on the glass.  The Knights dished out 21 assists to just seven turnovers.

With a key Skyline win under their belts, the Knights close the first semester of play with a trip to John Jay on Friday, December 9.  The tip is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Manhattan.