York College

Box Score

JAMAICA, NY— York College senior All-American Marcel Esonwune recorded a triple-double, scoring 21 points, pulling down 20 rebounds and blocking ten shots and junior Kevin Lausell scored a game-high 26 points (8-14 shooting) to lead the Cardinals men's basketball team to an 86-80 victory over the City College of New York on senior day Saturday afternoon. 

Esonwune picked up his first triple-double of the season and fourth of his career as York improved to 8-16, 6-6 in the CUNY Athletic Conference.  York can now finish as high as the fifth seed in the upcoming CUNYAC playoffs should they beat Hunter on Monday evening.  Should they lose, they would drop to seventh.  Tip-off for that game is set for 8:00 p.m.

After a sluggish start where York went scoreless for the first three minutes of play and trailed 6-0, York went on an 8-2 run to even the score at 8-8.  After the two team exchanged buckets, York went on another run, scoring nine of the next 11 points to go up 21-12 after Lausell hit one of his four three-pointer with 10:06 to play in the half. The Cardinals would eventually take an 11-point lead (43-32) into the locker room.

For most of the second half, the Cardinals held a comfortable margin, leading by as much as 21 points with 4:44 to play.  However, CCNY made it interesting in the final four minutes, going on a furious rally to cut the score to just two points (82-80) following a three-pointer by the Beavers Kenny Rubenstein with 11 seconds left.  After York was fouled, Kevin Lausell made both free throws to go back up by four points.  On the ensuing CCNY possession, Esonwune swatted away a shot attempt which led to a fast break and a reverse dunk by Lausell as time expired.

In the loss, CCNY (3-22, 1-12 CUNY) was led by Mata Rascius who scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.  Kenny Rubenstein added 21 points.  York also got contributions from William Holley who scored 11 points.  Shamir Wilkinson added 12 points and six boards and Ike Iwu dished out seven assists.