NOTRE DAME, Ind. --- A 26-point flurry in just under eight minutes of the second half propelled the University of St. Francis men's basketball team to a 70-58 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference victory over Holy Cross College on Saturday afternoon at the Pfeil Center.

After scoring just 26 points over the game's first 22 minutes, the Fighting Saints (3-8, 2-4 CCAC) matched that total over the next 7 minutes, 50 seconds (from 17:27 to 9:37 of the second half) to turn a 34-26 deficit into a 52-37 advantage.  They would never lead by less than 11 points the rest of the afternoon.

Six different USF players were part of the big rally that saw the Saints hit 10-of-16 shots (.625) during the stretch after converting at just a .321 clip (9-of-28) in the opening half.  Dakoda Joachim, who capped the run with a three-pointer, led the burst with seven points, while Nick Niego put up a pair of three-pointers and EJ Charles provided five markers.

Niego would go on to net a career-high 11 points in the contest with eight coming in the second half.  Charles and Rahmel Davis also put up 11 points after the break which accounted for the latter's total on the day.  Davis, who started out 0-for-4 from the field, hit five of his last six shots. 

Charles topped USF's scoring list with 15 points to go along with seven rebounds.  Joachim finished with 10 points.

Holy Cross' Isaiah Cabrera came off the bench to lead all scorers with 22 points.  Desmond Davie added 17 points.

The Saints also had to battle back from a pair of large deficits in the first half when they trailed 9-1 at the outset and by as many as ten points (21-11) with 9:48 remaining in the period.  They then went on a 13-4 run to close the half to get within 25-24 at the break. 

Five different Saints also teamed up for that rally led by Casmir Ochiaka's four points.  He would also be big on the boards all afternoon with a game- and career-high 11 caroms enabling the Saints to gain a 43-29 rebounding advantage and a commanding 16-1 difference in second-chance points.

USF shot 51.6 percent (16-of-31) in the second half to Holy Cross' 39.1 percent (9-of-23) leading to the 46-33 point differential after the break.  The Saints were also 4-of-6 from three-point range and 10-of-14 at the foul line (71.4 pct.) after halftime.

Notes: St. Francis turned the ball over a season-low seven times … The Saints also produced their second-best shooting mark from three-point range for the campaign, going 6-for-14 (.429) … Charles extended his streak of scoring in double figures to six straight games, while Davis did so for the fifth time in six games … USF returns to the Sullivan Center on Wednesday to host Governors State University at 7 pm.     

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