NEWPORT NEWS, Va.- It was if the CNU men's basketball team was following a script Saturday at the Freeman Center. The Captains celebrated Senior Day as their lone senior, Mike Cherry, scored the first seven points of the game...led all scorers with 23 points...and the squad cruised to an 80-62 victory over Marymount.

The triumph pulled the Captains into a second-place tie with Marymount and Salisbury, two games behind St. Mary's in the Capital Athletic Conference standings.

"Obviously, I'm so happy for Mike to have a day like this," Head Coach John Krikorian said. "He has passed up a lot of shots this year and so often given the ball to his teammates. Today he really took charge and led the way."

Just moments after being joined by his parents on the court to honor the four-year starting guard in a pre-game ceremony, Cherry sank a corner three-pointer to open the scoring. The Lewiston, North Carolina, product then hit another triple on the squad's next possession and was fouled in the process, resulting in a four-point play. Cherry scored 11 points in the opening half and added 12 more in the second stanza, including yet another four-point play. He ended up with five triples and also pulled down nine rebounds. Cherry is ninth on the CNU all-time scoring list and also is one of just three Captains to ever record more than 200 career three-point field goals. His five triples Saturday now give him 216 for his career, behind just Jermaine Woods (257) and Jeremy Romeo (228).

Christopher Newport, now 17-6 overall and 12-4 in CAC action, never trailed in the game and held a 50-35 edge at halftime. CNU maintained the lead through the second half, with the Saints never getting closer than 12 at 52-40. Marymount is now 18-5 overall and also 12-4 in league action.

Freshman Aaron McFarland contributed to the first-half CNU surge, scoring all 14 of his points in the opening 20 minutes. Sophomore Tim Daly returned to the starting lineup and posted 11 points and 10 rebounds. Daly has been nursing a sprained ankle, and registered his fifth double-double of the season.

CNU knocked down nine of 13 three-point attempts in the first half, and finished the day with 14 triples in 30 attempts. The Captains out-rebounded Marymount, 51-37, and held the Saints to just 25 of 65 shooting for the day (.385).

"Overall, I thought we played pretty good defense," Krikorian continued. "I knew we couldn't keep up the three-point pace in the second half, but our defense stepped up when we really needed it most."

The victory gives the Captains a final regular-season record of 11-2 at the Freeman Center, and CNU is now 16-2 all-time vs. Marymount. The win avenged an earlier loss to the Saints, 62-60, on January 17th in Arlington, Va. Senior Antonio Rouse led the Saints with 13 points, while junior Colin Burkhart added 11 and senior J.C. Hoellich posted 10 points and 10 rebounds. 

Christopher Newport will travel for the final two games of the regular season next week. CNU can pull closer in the league standings on Wednesday night when the Captains play at first place St. Mary's (18-4, 14-2). Game time is set for 8:00 p.m. in St. Mary's City, MD.