NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University improved to 3-2 on Saturday afternoon following a come-from-behind 89-82 victory over Cairn University at the Freeman Center. Junior Isaiah Dozier recorded career highs with 20 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Captains to their second straight win. The Highlanders of Cairn fell to 4-2 with the loss.

The Captains opened a nine-point lead in the first half, 32-23, before Cairn concluded the half with a 15-7 run to cut the lead to 39-38 at the intermission. The Highlanders surged ahead in the second half and built a nine-point lead of their own, 70-61, with just 8:49 to go.

"At that point, we were just trying to figure out what we were going to be able to do," Head Coach John Krikorian said. "What we had been doing wasn't working, they were getting shots and getting to the basket, so we started trapping them and thankfully that led to a few turnovers. We were able to get them off balance a bit and that got us back in the game."

Christopher Newport recovered to out-score Cairn down the stretch, 28-12, to post the seven-point triumph. The game featured six ties and eight lead changes.

Junior big man Ethan Ward also logged a double-double for the Captains, recording 14 points and ten rebounds in just 19 minutes of playing time. Four other Captains reached double digits in scoring: Tyson Henderson (13), Toa Hollenbeck (11), Collin Hines (10), and Tyler Sprague (10).

"I have so much respect for those guys over there from Cairn, they got on a bus in Philadelphia this morning and jumped off the bus and dropped bombs on us," Krikorian said. "This win took an effort from our guys that was gutsy and gritty and we had to do a great job on the boards and at the foul line to get this win."

Christopher Newport dominated the glass, out-rebounding Cairn by a 51-34 margin, and a 21-10 edge on the offensive boards. The Captains struggled at the foul stripe in the opening half, making just three of 13 attempts, but turned it around in the second stanza, knocking down 25 of 30 to finish the game at 65 percent (28 of 43).

"Obviously, we really needed that," Krikorian continued. "We've struggled at the line at times this year, but when you want to win a game like this, you know you have to knock them down in the second half. They didn't make anything easy for us, they made us earn it at the line, and we did a good job of attacking and putting them in spots they had to foul us."

Tyson Henderson registered nine rebounds, six assists, a block and a steal to go with his 13 points. All 11 of Toa Hollenbeck's points came at the foul line, as the junior made 11 of 14 attempts at the charity stripe.

Saturday's game, with a crowd of just under 600 at the Freeman Center, was the second in as many years vs. Cairn in the all-time series. Last January, the Captains held off the Highlanders in Langhorne, Pa., by a 94-72 final verdict in the first-ever meeting of the programs.

The Captains next host the Holiday INNvitational next Saturday and Sunday at the Freeman Center. Games on Saturday will begin at 5:00 p.m. when Virginia Wesleyan plays Pfeiffer, followed by the Captains vs. Dickinson at 7:00 p.m. The two-day tourney will wrap up next Sunday as Virginia Wesleyan will play Dickinson at 2:00 p.m. followed by CNU and Pfeiffer at 4:00 p.m.