GWYNEDD VALLEY, Pa. – The Neumann University men's basketball team came into the Atlantic East postseason as the No. 4 seed and defeated No. 2 seeded Gwynedd Mercy 66-65 to win their second straight Championship on Saturday afternoon.
 
Bryan Etienne was named the MVP and finished with a double-double: 21 points and 13 rebounds. Donte Dupriest also added 21 points, went 5-for-5 from the line, scored the game-winning point, added seven board and six assists. Jarell Keel grabbed nine rebounds. Jayson Love and Izaiah Johnson Young-El each added eight points.
 
Over the first seven minutes of the game, there were five lead changes and four tied scores. Tied at 18, the Knights scored the next seven points to take a 25-18 advantage The Griffins answered with the next six to pull within one. After two more baskets, the teams were once again tied, this time at 27 with 6:57 left in the first half.
 
Back-to-back three's by Love and Dupriest put Neumann up 36-29 heading into the final three minutes of the half. The team's traded baskets before the buzzer and the Knights took a 37-31 lead into the break.
 
The Knights held the Griffins at arm's length until with 12:25 left in regulation a Gwynedd Mercy three-pointer gave it a 48-47 edge. It was in the middle an 11-0 run for the Griffins in which they built a 52-47 lead.
 
With 5:57 on the clock, the teams were once again tied, this time at 57. The teams traded baskets and had tied scores four more times. With 2:03 left in regulation, a Griffins layup gave them a 65-63 edge. Neither team would find the basket again until Dupriest connected on a layup with seven seconds remaining, and was fouled. The senior stepped up the to line and sank the free throw to put the Knights in the lead, 66-65.
 
Gwynedd Mercy dribbled up the court and could not get the last second layup to fall and Neumann came away with the 66-65 win.
 
This is the fifth NCAA appearance for the Knights, all under Head Coach Jim Rullo. This will also be the first time the Knights head to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments.
 
Neumann (19-9) will now wait for the NCAA Tournament announcement on Monday to see where it heads to next.