GREENSBURG, PA- In a game that was far closer than the final score indicates, Christopher Newport improved to 8-0 Wednesday afternoon as the Captains held off Pitt-Greensburg, 93-74, at Chambers Hall Gymnasium. The 11th-ranked Captains never trailed in the non-conference game and pulled away in the final minutes to post the 19-point road victory.

Sophomores Aaron McFarland and Marcus Carter led the way for CNU, scoring 23 and 21 points respectively. Junior Tim Daly (15 points) and senior Connor Laframboise (12 points) were also in double digits.  It marked the fourth straight game McFarland has led the Captains in scoring.

"Pitt-Greensburg is a very talented, high-scoring team and we knew we'd be in for a fight," Head Coach John Krikorian said. "I liked our intensity and effort today and we stepped up when we needed to to stop their run in the second half."

CNU held a 47-33 lead at the half, and then stretched its advantage to 17 (76-59) before the Bobcats started their comeback effort. Pitt-Greensburg cut the lead to eight, 80-72, thanks to a 13-4 run, but could get no closer as the Captains pulled away for the wire-to-wire triumph.

McFarland and Carter combined to shoot 19 of 28 from the field as the Captains shot 54.5 percent for the day (34 of 66). CNU made nine of 23 shots from three-point range.

"This is the kind of game that will help us down the road when we get back into conference play," Krikorian continued. "They can really score and did a number on our defense today, but we were able to withstand that. I think it will make us better."

The Captains out-rebounded the Bobcats, 37-31, and were led on the boards by Carter's ten rebounds. The double-double for Carter (21 points and ten rebounds) was his first of the season and just the second of the year by a CNU player. The Captains have now out-rebounded all eight of their opponents this season.

CNU is now 4-0 on the road this season as well as 4-0 at home. It was just the second all-time meeting with Pitt-Greensburg, and the Captains have taken both. The Bobcats are now 5-2.

The 8-0 start for the Captains is the first since the 2000-2001 season, the first ever in the Freeman Center. CNU finished 25-4 that season and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. The Captains won their first 11 games that season.

Wednesday afternoon's contest was the final game before holiday break for the Captains, who return to action on December 29th when they host Shenandoah in the opening round of the Crowne Plaza Captains Shootout. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Freeman Center. Scranton and Stevenson will play in the opening game of the two-day tournament at 5:30 p.m.