PHILADELPHIA, PA. (November 27, 2007) -- The Holy Family men's basketball team scored 18 unanswered points late in the first half to overcome an early deficit to defeat Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, 88-69, Tuesday night at the Campus Center. (BOXSCORE)

For the second time in four games, junior guard Dante Blanton-Holcombe set a career-high in points by scoring 32 points on 9-for-23 shooting. Blanton-Holcombe's previous career best scoring game was a 29-point effort in Lincoln's season-opener against Central State. The Lions (0-4) also received nine points and nine rebounds each from junior Jermaine Russell and sophomore Dominic Washington.

However, they were not enough to offset the balanced scoring of the Tigers (4-1), who received 28 points from transfer Michael Sturns, who was a member of the North Texas squad that lost to Wisconsin in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, and 26 points from Ryan Lancaster. After losing to Bowie State in the championship game of the Bowie tournament, Holy Family has won three straight games.

This was the first meeting between Lincoln and Holy Family since 2001. Holy Family leads the all-time series, 9-4.

Lincoln opened the game strong as Blanton-Holcombe and junior Ladaye Johnson knocked down consecutive 3-pointers to give the Lions a 10-3 advantage two minutes, 27 seconds into the game. Lincoln held the lead for most of the half until the Tiger run started. Washington made a foul shot with 6:27 remaining in the first half to give Lincoln its last lead of the game, 25-24.

During the Tigers' surge, Lincoln missed five shots and turned the ball over five times during the 4:19 stretch without a point. Meanwhile, Holy Family made six-of-seven shots. Sturns capped the 18-0 run off with a thunderous dunk. Lincoln's Garrick Wooten ended the scoring drought when he made a foul shot with 2:11 remaining. The Lions trailed, 46-30, at intermission.

Despite not making a field goal for the final 8:30 of the first half, Lincoln pulled to within eight points on three different occassions in the second half, with the last time coming at the 5:52 mark (70-62). Lincoln forced 19 Holy Family turnovers.

Lincoln continues its early season travel when it visits CIAA opponent Saint Augustine's College in Raleigh (N.C.) Thursday evening beginning at 7:30 p.m. That game will not be broadcast over the Internet.

--LU--