Box Score The Stevenson University men's basketball team fell in their season opener to the Catholic University Cardinals 79-69 Tuesday night in Washington D.C.
 
The Cardinals drained the first 8 points until SU sophomore Cameron Smith sunk a layup for the first Mustang points of the season. Catholic continued to shoot threes, and by the end of the half they had made 8 of 16. Catholic's Cephas Wilson-Bahun was dealt a technical foul for hanging on the rim with 2:13 remaining, and SU's Ethan Jones ended the half with a three-point buzzer-beater to reduce the deficit to 14. 
 
Mustang graduate student Connor Walsh was handed a technical foul for a flop 29 seconds into the second half. The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel are allowing men's basketball officials to assess technical fouls to players who fake being fouled ("flop") beginning this season, with the opposing team shooting one shot. The Cardinals controlled most of the second-half the momentum, leading 62-42 with 13 minutes left. Another technical foul for a flop was dealt to Catholic's Dan Buckley with 9:14 remaining. Two minutes later, Mustang graduate student McKale Williams picked off a pass that would send first year Ryan Newell the other way for a layup. The Mustangs worked to reduce Catholic's lead to 8 with 2:51 remaining as Nate Arrington led the way with 17 points, going 9-9 at the line. 
 
The Mustangs open the season at 0-1, and will return home to host the Stevenson Tip-Off Classic at Mustang Stadium on Friday, Nov. 11 and Saturday, Nov.12. Catholic improves to 1-0, and will participate in the Messiah Tip-Off Tournament this weekend.