HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. --- Moravian College sophomore forward Brandon McGuire had his second straight double-double with a game-high 19 points and a career-best 12 rebounds as the Greyhounds picked up their first win of the 2014-15 season, defeating host Centenary College, 83-75, in non-conference action Wednesday.
The Hounds, now 1-2 on the year, placed three players in double figures including McGuire, and all three of them reached double digits in the opening 20 minutes of action. McGuire had 11 points in the first half while senior guard Izel Dickerson scored 11 of his 18 points before the intermission. Freshman guard Khalil Rhett netted a career-high 13 points, all coming in the first half, and Rhett also contributed six rebounds while Dickerson had three rebounds and McGuire added three steals.
Sophomore guard Sean Hanna tossed in nine points and dished out three assists for the Greyhounds while junior forward Nate Samanns had eight points. Sophomore guard Isaiah Jennings contributed six rebounds, four points and three assists while senior forward Garrett Kashmer grabbed three boards for Moravian, which was to get 14 players some playing action in the game.
Moravian scored the first six points of the contest, taking the 6-0 lead at the 18:05 mark on a jumper by Dickerson. The Cyclones answered back with a 7-0 run over the next three minutes to move ahead 7-6 at 15:21 but that would be Centenary's only advantage of the night. Just 30 seconds later, the Greyhounds would take a lead they never relinquished on another jumper from Dickerson that started a 10-0 run that Rhett capped off with a three-pointer at 11:17 for a 16-7 Moravian advantage.
The Hounds pushed the lead into double digits at 31-20 on a jumper from Rhett with 5:16 to play in the first half, and the spread reached 13 points, 37-24, on a Dickerson three-pointer two minutes later. Moravian headed to the locker room with a 42-32 lead after strong shooting first half that saw the squad hit 14-of-35 field goal attempts and 7-of-18 three-pointers.
Moravian opened the second half with four points and eventually pushed the lead to 16 points, 61-45, on a jumper by Hanna with 9:24 left. Centenary scored the next nine points to pull within seven but that is as close as the Cyclones could close the gap as the Hounds shot 15-of-32 from the field over the final 20 minutes and held onto the ball with just nine turnovers in the contest.
The Greyhounds are slated to play their first game of the 2014-15 schedule in Johnston Hall on Saturday, November 22 when the squad welcomes Lebanon Valley College to Bethlehem for a non-conference game tipping off at 2:00 p.m.
