PHILADELPHIA – The Thomas Jefferson University men's basketball team (10-9, 6-3 CACC) improved to 5-0 at home with an 87-61 victory over Alliance (9-11, 3-6 CACC) on Saturday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams opened with a three-pointer. The Rams then went on a 9-0 run to take a 12-3 lead with 15:47 on the clock. Alliance closed the gap to four (12-8) before Bismark Nsiah and Hakim Byrd drained back-to-back threes to up the margin to 10 (18-8). Alliance netted seven of the next nine to make it a five-point game (20-15) with 11:28 remaining.
 
Jefferson embarked on a 13-4 run to make the score 33-19 with 3:53 left in the half. Erik Timko led the way with six points and Ahmed Barba-Bey tallied five. The difference remained 14 (40-26) at the intermission. The Rams shot 53.6% (15-of-28), including 61.5% (8-of-13) from beyond the arc, during the period and held Alliance to 38.5% (10-of-26) from the field.
 
Jefferson began the second half with an 11-2 surge to increase its cushion to 23 (51-28). Alliance answered with seven in a row to cut the deficit to 16 (51-35) with 14:16 to go. The score was 62-44 when Alliance narrowed the gap further with another seven consecutive points to get within 11 (62-51) with 7:45 on the clock. However, the Rams eliminated any thought of an Alliance comeback with an 18-5 stretch that ended with a 24-point advantage (80-56) with just 2:39 to play.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Erik Timko: 20 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal
Antonin Kemkeng: 17 points on 8-of-16 shooting, 13 rebounds
Hakim Byrd: 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting (4-6 3PT), 5 assists, 3 rebounds
Bismark Nsiah: 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting (3-3 3PT), 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks
 
JEFFERSON AS A TEAM
FG: 33-of-63 (52.4%)
3PT: 13-of-23 (56.5%)
FT: 8-of-12 (66.7%)
 
NOTES
- Antonin Kemkeng registered a double-double for the second straight game.
- Jefferson shot over 50 percent for the seventh time this year.
- The Rams produced their best three-point field goal percentage (.565) and rebound margin (+21) of the season.
 
UP NEXT
Jefferson visits Chestnut Hill on Wednesday, January 25^th at 8 p.m.