BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University men's basketball squad shot 50 percent from the floor on the way to a 91-67 victory over Hunter (N.Y.) College in the opening round of the 43rd Steel Club Classic Friday to advance to the Championship game on Saturday evening. 

How It Happened

• The Greyhounds netted the first points of the game on a jumper from junior forward Gary Francis on the opening possession of the contest. The Hawks knotted the score twice at 2-2 and 4-4 before the Blue & Grey took the lead for good at 5-4 on a free throw by sophomore forward Marquis Ratcliff with 15:04 on the clock. Ratcliff and Francis added jumpers to push the edge 9-4 just 30 seconds later while a three-pointer by senior guard Alex Dietz extended the advantage to nine points at 15-6 with 12:13 before the intermission
• The Blue & Grey pushed the lead into double digits with 3:22 until halftime when Dietz drained another three-pointer, and the Hounds had their largest edge of the first half at 14 points after a dunk by Ratcliff at the 2:11 mark. Sophomore guard Porter Kelly connected on a three-pointer late in the half to send the Greyhounds to the locker room with a 37-24 advantage
• Moravian kept the lead in double figures for the entire second half. Junior forward Nate Santiago pushed the edge to 22 points at 53-31 with a three-pointer at the 14:52 mark. The Hounds' largest advantage came with 4:19 on the clock when junior guard/forward Michael Leonardo hit a lay-up for a 27-point edge at 85-58

Inside the Numbers

• Moravian had three players in double figures led by Ratcliff, who had a game-high 31 points to go with nine rebounds, three blocked shots and a pair of steals
• Dietz and Kelly each tossed in 18 points with Dietz adding five rebounds, five assists and three steals and Kelly contributing five assists and four boards
• Santiago tossed in seven points to go with two rebounds and a pair of blocked shots while Francis and Leonardo both had four points with Leonardo recording ten rebounds and nine assists and Francis grabbing a pair of boards
• Senior guard Mark Howell also scored four points while senior guard Filippo Baldo and freshman guard Riley Flood each tossed in two points
• Freshman guard Taylor Perlmutter scored a point while sophomore forward Liam Cummiskey grabbed four rebounds
• The Hounds connected on 35-of-70 field goal attempts, 10-of-31 three-pointers and 11-of-15 free throws, and the Blue & Grey held a 46-36 edge on the boards
• Moravian will be making its 31st appearance in the Steel Club Classic Championship game, and the Greyhounds have had 16 titles 

Up Next for the Greyhounds

• Saturday, December 30 vs. Alvernia University in Steel Club Classic Championship Game, 5:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 3 vs. Juniata College, 3:00 p.m.