WASHINGTON, D.C. – Christopher Newport University fell to 1-2 on Saturday following an 84-74 men's basketball loss at the Catholic University of America. The Cardinals, 22nd ranked in the country, improved to 2-1 and had five players reach double digits in scoring.

Catholic jumped to an early 8-2 lead before the Captains scratched back to get in front for the first time, 18-17, with 10:57 left in the half. The Cardinals bounced back and used a 15-5 run to open a nine-point edge, 32-23, with six minutes to go in the half. The teams went to the locker rooms at the intermission with CUA holding a 42-36 advantage.

Christopher Newport was never able to pull ahead in the second half, as the Captains shot just 30 percent from the floor in the second stanza. CNU cut the lead to two early in the second half, but could get no closer than six points over the final 14 minutes of the game.

"To come off a tough home loss to Randolph-Macon and not compete with the level of urgency that was required in the first half was really disappointing," Head Coach John Krikorian said. "In the second half we showed more toughness, resolve, and grit, but we're not a team that can pick and choose when we can play at a high level. Some of our guys are learning this, and we're very much a work in progress."

The Captains, ranked ninth in the country in the pre-season, were led by a 27-point performance from junior Toa Hollenbeck, who knocked down five three-pointers in the first half, and scored 21 points before suffering an ankle injury. Hollenbeck returned to the game in the second half and added six more points to his team-high total and finished the day eight-of-15 from the floor and five-of-nine from long range.

Junior guard Tyson Henderson also reached double digits with 16 points, and senior Collin Hines posted 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds. The Captains out-rebounded the Cardinals, 43-40, but shot just 36 percent as a team, making 24 of 66 attempts and just eight-of-32 from three-point range (25 percent).

"It was a game that had two very different halves, and we were two very different teams today," Krikorian continued. "We've got to move forward, we've got a great group and great attitude in the locker room, and they know they're going to have to work to get better."

Catholic now holds a 4-2 lead in the all-time series with the Captains following the ten-point victory at Franny Murray Court at the DuFour Athletic Center. C.J. Ruoff led the Cardinals with 20 points.

Christopher Newport returns to action on Wednesday night in Rocky Mount, N.C., when the Captains take on North Carolina Wesleyan University. Tip off time is set for 7:00 p.m.