BUFFALO, N.Y. – Returning home to the Palace on Porter, the D'Youville University men's basketball team came away with the 96-76 win over Mercy University Friday evening.
 
The Saints (7-17, 4-9 ECC) had four players in double digits with Bryson Birdsong (Winter Haven, Fla.) leading the way with 24 points. Kevin Thompson (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Chase Jenkins (Titusville, Fla.) had solid games, scoring 14 and 13 points respectively. Nelson St. Louis (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) led the team on the glass, grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds.
 
With each team keeping pace with one another in the first 12 minutes of the game, Mason Putnam (Prattsburgh, N.Y.) broke and 18-18 deadlock with a three-pointer off the dish from Luke Theisen (Lake View, N.Y.) to put DYU out in front for good. D'Youville closed out the half on an 18-9 run where the team saw four three's drop including a pair from Putnam to take a 36-27 lead into the break.
 
DYU saw their lead grow to as many as 24 in the second half on two occasions. The Saints used a 10-1 run in the second half to create separation, gaining a 58-35 lead. During the run, D'Youville saw another three three-pointer go through the nylon including a pair by Jenkins to keep the momentum going.
 
The Mavericks were able to cut the deficit down to 10-points with 7:53 left in regulation but the Saints once again caught fire, scoring 15 of the game's next 18 points. Birdsong led the run with six points while Thompson added five points to help salt the game away.
 
The Saints went 35-for-72 (48.6 percent) from the field while shooting 12-for-23 (36.4 percent) from beyond the three-point line. The Mavericks went 21-for-68 (30.9 percent) from the floor and 5-for-21 (23.8 percent) from three-point range. DYU dominated in the paint, outscoring the Mavs 44-32.
 
D'Youville will be back in action this Sunday, February 18th, when they host No. 15 St. Thomas Aquinas College at 3 p.m.