CHESTER, Pa. -- Stevenson men's basketball built several leads throughout the afternoon, holding on down the stretch for an exciting 69-64 road victory over Widener in Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Commonwealth action. 

Stevenson (7-5, 3-3 MAC) maintained the lead for nearly 80% of the game, but could not pull away from a pesky Widener (5-8, 1-5 MAC) side until the end. A contest that featured six tied and 14 lead changes, Stevenson received a team-high 20 points from McKale Williams, including four three-point baskets. Meanwhile, Cameron Smith and Ronald Ayers notched 11 points each while Nate Arrington snagged a game-high 11 rebounds. 

Widener was paced by a game-high 25 points from Matt Daulerio as Kenny Lewis added 12 more for the Pride. The Mustangs posted the final six points of the game, overcoming 17 turnovers on the day to snap a three-game skid. 

• Arrington gathered through traffic and put the Mustangs on the board to even the score at two. Khalil Richard returned to the Mustang lineup and delivered a pull-up jumper from the right elbow as Stevenson later pushed the lead to 8-4 with a transition layup. 
• Each side continued shooting well from the floor as Stevenson held a narrow 14-11 advantage, also drawing several charges on the defensive end. Smith stepped into a three through contact, finishing the four-point play for an 18-11 Stevenson advantage. 
• Off a miss, the Mustangs wasted little time on the offensive end as Jalen Jacox stepped off the bench and onto the scoresheet with a triple for a 21-11 edge. Williams buried an open look from deep as the red-hot Mustangs were shooting 62.5% from beyond the arc with the lead at 26-17 before Ayers soared in for a putback.
• Stevenson held its largest lead of the half at 28-17, but Widener was able to stay within striking distance. Matt Daulerio led the offensive charge for the hosts in the opening half, trailing by six at 28-22 near the seven-minute mark. Out of a timeout, consecutive Widener baskets trimmed the Stevenson lead to just two at 28-26 before the Pride moved ahead at 30-29 on a layup. 
• From there, neither side could create much separation as both squads cooled off from the floor, with Stevenson holding Widener scoreless for the last three minutes of the frame. KJ Holton heaved up a long three with the shot clock winding down, lifting the Mustangs to a 34-32 edge heading into the locker room. 

• Three buckets from Williams, including a three following a pair of offensive rebounds for the Mustangs, which pushed the visitors ahead 41-34 and prompted a Widener timeout. Williams swelled his scoring total to a game-high 15 points following his fast start to the second half, part of a 7-0 run on his own. 
• Much like the first half, Widener did not let things get too out of hand, working its deficit back to 43-39. Off a turnover, Smith raced into the open court and slammed it home for a four-point lead at 45-39. 
• Richard soared into the forecourt with a driving layup, expanding the Stevenson lead back to 10 at the 10:39 mark. Ayerscanned his first three for a 54-43 edge with Stevenson converting five of its last six field goal attempts. 
• The Mustang lead hovered around double digits with about eight minutes remaining, until a timely Widener triple sliced the Mustang lead to 57-51. Smith worked the Stevenson advantage back to 10 with a floating layup in the lane at 6:39 before Daulerio nailed a three for the hosts. Daulerio added a putback bucket as Widener once again battled back to within two at 63-61, all part of a 10-0 Widener run that spanned 4:13 that eventually lifted the hosts back in front. 
• Ayers notched a timely basket as Stevenson took the lead back before Richard added to it with a pull-up jumper for a 67-64 lead. Jacox added a floating jumper with the shot clock winding down as Stevenson held on for the 69-64 final. 

• Williams matched a game-high eight points in the opening half in his first start of the season for the Mustangs, adding 12 more after halftime. Williams had a quick start to the second half, posting seven points in short order out of the locker room. 
• Williams notched his first 20-point scoring outing since the 2020-21 regular-season finale against Eastern. 
• The Mustangs led by as much as 11 in the opening half, holding the advantage for just over 12 minutes of action. In total, Stevenson led for 31:13 in the contest. 
• Arrington tied a career-high 11 rebounds for the Mustangs on Saturday. The first-year forward grabbed seven rebounds in the first half, helping the Mustangs to a 20-11 margin on the glass in the first 20 minutes. 
• Widner went just 5-of-19 from deep, while the Mustangs converted nine three-point baskets. 
• Despite missing one of the league's best rebounding presences in Bo Wesley, the Mustangs held a 35-25 edge on the glass. The Mustangs posted a 17-9 margin in second-chance points in the victory. 

• Stevenson: The Mustangs host Messiah on Wednesday, January 12 at 8:00 p.m. 
• Widener: The Pride host Mary Washington on Wednesday, January 12 at 7:00 p.m.