GLENSIDE, Pa. – Sophomore guard Darius Walker poured in a career-high 30 points and the Stevenson men's basketball cooled down Arcadia in the second half to help the Mustangs claim an 86-80 road win, Saturday afternoon at Alumni Gymnasium.

Juniors Erik Fisher and Christian Roberts also scored in double figures as Stevenson (6-2, 1-0 MAC) won its conference opener for the second consecutive season.  Arcadia (4-4, 2-1 MAC), meanwhile, was led by Jose Figeuroa who scored 21 points.

Both teams shot considerably well in the opening period with Arcadia connecting on 70% of its shots (14-of-20) and the Mustangs making 17-of-33 attempts (51.5%).

The hot shooting kept the game close in the first half with neither team able to establish a lead greater than six. Stevenson made the initial push in the game to gain a quick four-point advantage, 8-4, capped by a lay-up by junior Chris Day. The hosts stayed with the visiting Mustangs, though, and eventually grabbed a one-point lead with 11:23 left in the half, 16-15, thanks to a three-pointer by John Landro.

The back-and-forth play continued until Landro followed a lay-up from Torrell Candelaria by converting from long range on back-to-back trips for the Knights to overturn a one-point deficit and create a seven-point home lead, 32-25.

Stevenson did not allow the lead to grow, however, and crept back into the game before taking the lead into the half, 43-40, by scoring the final four points in the period on lay-ins by Fisher and Walker, the second of which just beat the buzzer with a second remaining.

Out of the break Stevenson continued its momentum for a 7-2 run, pushing the lead to seven at 49-42 after a jumper by Roberts. Arcadia countered with a bucket of its own, but Walker hit a three for an eight-point cushion, and less than 30 seconds later it grew to double digits on a jumper by Day.

The Mustang defense then cooled down the Knights, holding them to 40% shooting in the second stanza, and helped the visitors maintain the lead throughout the half. In addition, for each push that Arcadia made, Stevenson answered the bell to reinstate the double figure lead.

Arcadia made one final charge in the final few minutes, cutting the lead to just six, 82-76, with 1:57, and then edging closer in the final minute with a lay-up by Candelaria. Following a Stevenson timeout, the Mustangs turned it over, but forced a miss at the other end.  Fisher then converted one of two free throws to push the lead to five. 

The Knights trimmed the lead to three, 83-80, on two free throws by Jose Figueroa with ten seconds left, but they could not get any closer as Fisher made another free throw and then junior Julian Davis knocked down both of his attempts at the line to give the Mustangs the 86-80 win.

Stevenson now returns to Owings Mills for its first home game since Nov. 23 when the Mustangs host Widener next Saturday, Dec. 13. Tip-off between the Mustangs and Pride is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Owings Mills Gymnasium.