BUFFALO, N.Y. – Closing out their three-game homestand, the D'Youville University men's basketball team used a strong second half to carry them to a 94-74 win over Felician University Tuesday afternoon.
 
The Saints (5-7, 2-1 ECC) were led by senior guard Bryson Birdsong (Winter Haven, Fla.), scoring a career-high 28 points while Trayton Trice (Romeoville, Ill.) and Chase Jenkins (Titusville, Fla.) added 18 and 17 points, respectively. Trice also led the way on the glass, grabbing nine rebounds while Noah Hutchins (Buffalo, N.Y.) finished with a career-high eight assists.
 
The Golden Falcons opened up the game on an 8-3 run but a three-pointer by Nasir Hammons (Norfolk, Va.) and a jumper by Nelson St. Lewis (Port St. Lucie, Fla) helped tie the game up. Felician answered back, knocking down a three by Justin Davis to regain the lead.
 
The Saints kept it a one possession game but a layup by Hammonds at the 13:38 mark helped DYU regain the lead, playing from ahead for the remainder of the game.
 
D'Youville saw their biggest lead of the first half coming at the 5:29 mark thanks in part to an 8-2 run. Jenkins led the way with four points while Birdsong and Kevin Thompson (Buffalo, N.Y.) also joined in on the efforts. Felician was able to cut the lead to one point at the 1:54 mark but the Saints held them off, taking a 38-35 lead into the break.
 
After trading the first few baskets in the second half, the Saints were able to blow open the game, taking a 55-41 lead within the first four minutes. DYU went on a 15-4 run that was capped off by a three-pointer from Trice, followed by a dunk by Jenkins off the dish from Renard Fontes-Jules (Brockton, Mass.) followed by a three-pointer from Jenkins with Hutchins getting the assist. The Golden Falcons were able to cut the deficit to single digits, but the Saints were able to hold off any comeback attempt.
 
The Saints went 31-for-64 (48.4 percent) from the field thanks in part to an 18-for-32 (56.3 percent) showing in the second half. DYU also went 13-for-29 (44.8 percent) from beyond the arc.
 
DYU got big contributions from the bench, scoring 52 points to Felician's 20 points. The Saints were also strong on the glass, grabbing 51 rebounds to the Golden Falcons' 27 rebounds.
 
D'Youville will now be off until Saturday, December 30th when they travel to Notre Dame College for a 3 p.m. tip.