JAMAICA, NY --- (www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College men's basketball built a first-half lead of up to a game-high 13 points Wednesday en route to a 70–62 CUNYAC victory over the City College of New York Beavers (1–11, 1–2 CUNYAC) inside York College Gymnasium. The win gives the Cardinals a 3–0 start in CUNYAC play for the first time since the 2014–15 season.

How it Happened

• Both teams traded baskets early, but York seized control with a 9–3 run keyed by Christopher Smith's six points, taking a 13–9 lead with 13:16 remaining.
• Off the bench, Gozie Chinegwundoh sparked Yor with six points during an 11–2 surge to put the Cardinals ahead 24–13 with 8:23 left in the half.
• York extended its advantage late in the period, scoring eight straight points as Benjamin Grant's trifecta gave the Cardinals a game-high 13-point lead at 35–22 with 1:53 remaining.
• CCNY responded by scoring five of the final six points before halftime, cutting the deficit to 36–27.
• The Beavers opened the second half with a 10–5 run to pull within four (41–37) just 4:44 in. Jonte Wallace answered with a layup to push York's lead back to eight at 45–38 with 14:13 remaining.
• The Beavers then went on an 8–1 run to cut the deficit to one (48–47) with 9:45 left in the game. 
• York responded with a decisive 11–2 spurt, as Chinegwundoh and Wallace each scored four points to drive a 59–49 advantage with 5:16 left, putting the Cardinals in control down the stretch.
• York outscored CCNY 11–10 over the final 3:36, with Jaidan Johnson leading the way by converting nine points on 7-of-8 free throws to help the Cardinals secure the win.

Leading the Cardinals

• Smith scored 11 of his 21 points (7-of-15 FG, 7-of-10 FT) in the first half and contributed seven rebounds, four steals, and two blocks to the win. 
• Wallace produced 14 points (6-of-11 FG), eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. 
• Chinegwundoh shined with a personal-best 12 points (5-of-8 FG) and 10 rebounds (six offensive), two blocks, and one steal in 24 minutes off the bench to register his first-career double-double. 
• Johnson finished with nine points while Joshua Jackman grabbed nine rebounds.

For CCNY

• Justin Morety netted a game-best 23 points (9-of-19 FG, 5-of-6 FT) to go along with seven rebounds and four assists.
• Chris Poppotte recorded a double-double with 16 points (7-of-13 FG) and a game-high 15 rebounds.
• Michael Bowman added 10 points, and Abdias Carcano distributed six assists.

Inside the Box Score
York shot 39.1 percent (24-of-61) from the floor, landed three shots from 3-point territory, and drained 19 free throws. Tough Cardinal defense held the Beavers to 30.3 percent from the field (23-of-76), and 13.8 percent (4-of-29) from beyond the arc, and the squad boosted their scoring output with 12 free throws. CCNY had advantages in rebounds (53-50) and steals (7-5), while York had more assists (16-13) and blocks (8-1).

Up Next 
The Cardinals (3–7, 3–0 CUNYAC) will take their undefeated league mark on the road Friday, Jan. 9, for a CUNYAC matchup against the Hunter College Hawks (2–12, 0–3 CUNYAC) at 7 p.m. inside the Hunter Sportsple

For the latest news on the Cardinals, log on to www.yorkathletics.com – the official site of York College athletics. Also, become a follower of the Cardinals on Instagram (@yorkcardinals), X (@yorkcardinals) and YouTube (@yorkathletics), and "LIKE" Us on Facebook (York Athletics).