UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. --- A career night from EJ Charles, including two clutch three-pointers late, and a near triple-double from Carter Fayhee carried the University of St. Francis men's basketball team to an 85-80 victory over Governors State University in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play on Wednesday night.  The win was the third straight and sixth in the last eight contests for the Saints, who are now 8-6 overall and 7-3 in league play.

Charles combined with four other USF starters to shoot .617 from the field, going 29-for-47.  That led to the team as a whole shooting better than 50 percent for the second game in a row at .534 (31-of-58). 

Charles' treys – two of four on the night – came in back-to-back fashion beginning with 5:12 left in the game.  His first three-pointer gave the Saints the lead for good to break the eighth and final tie of the contest.  His second long-range shot put them up by their biggest margin up to that point at 73-67. 

USF would extend its lead as high as eight points (80-72) with just under two minutes to play.  Five free throws in six attempts down the stretch by St. Francis thwarted a late rally by Governors State, which pulled to within 80-77 with 66 seconds to play.

All but six of USF's points came from its starters with four having big games, including Fayhee.  He fell one rebound short of the rare triple-double with 19 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.  He also recorded three steals and converted eight of his 14 shots from the field. 

Aitor Anabitarte matched Fayhee with 19 points and registered his fifth double-double of the campaign with 11 rebounds.  Darius Wright added 14 points, while Nadav Gerner rounded out the starting lineup with seven points.  Justin Phillips was the lone Saint off the bench to score, finishing with six points.

Governors State's Nick Mikash (23 points) and William Bates (22) combined for 45 points.

Notes: Charles' four treys in the game were also a career high for him as were Fayhee's ten assists … USF's 25 assists were a season high, while its eight turnovers were a season low … The Saints have now turned the ball over ten times or less in each of their last four games … St. Francis converted on 24 of its 34 field goal attempts (.706) inside the arc on the night … The game, which had no team lead by more than eight points, featured eight ties and nine lead changes … Head coach Ryan Marks' club made the most of Governors State's limited turnovers, turning the nine Jaguar miscues into 17 points.  GSU managed just eight points off USF's errors … The Saints open up a three-game, five-day homestand on Saturday when they host Saint Xavier University at 3 pm.   

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