GLENSIDE, Pa. - The Arcadia University men's basketball team opened its 2019-20 season Saturday afternoon in the opening game of the Arcadia Tip-Off Tournament, downing visiting Rutgers-Camden in overtime, 71-68. Steve Pendleton paced the Knights with 21 points and eight rebounds, while Da'kquan Davis poured in 19 points and eight boards in the effort.

The victory marked the first of Adam Van Zelst's head coaching career as the Knights advance to the tournament title game against Salisbury - who defeated Rosemont, 106-68 - Sunday at 3 p.m.

HOW IT HAPPENED
-The Knights raced out to an early ten-point lead in the first six minutes of the game - with five of the ten coming from Davis - while Rutgers-Camden was kept off the board until the 13:28 mark of the first half. The Scarlet Raptors responded with an 11-0 run to take their first lead of the afternoon, but a pair of Kishan Patel three's put the Knights back out in front, 21-15. A 9-0 run by Rutgers-Camden at the end of the half vaulted the visitors to a 30-29 lead heading into the break.

-The Knights came out of halftime and built up a nine-point lead in the opening ten minutes on the strength of sharp-shooting from Pendleton and Jalen Watkins, but the Scarlet Raptors hung around and eventually erased the deficit by taking a 51-50 lead with 5:44 remaining in regulation. Arcadia was held without a field goal for the final 2:30 of the second half, allowing to get within two late. A Davis free-throw after being fouled in the lane with 18 seconds remaining extended the Knight lead to three, but a Rutgers corner three at the buzzer sent the game to overtime at 59-all.

-Leading by two 1:25 on the clock in overtime, Pendleton hit a tough jumper in the lane, drew the foul and completed the three-point play to put the Knights up five down the stretch, and despite a Rutgers-Camden three to cut the lead to one, Davis converted on a pair of free throws with seven seconds remaining to seal the 71-68 victory.

KNIGHT LEADERS
-Points: Pendleton 21, Davis 19, Patel 8
-Assists: Davis 2
-Rebounds: Walsh 11, Davis/Pendleton 8
-Blocks: Money/Watkins
-Steals: Pendleton/Watkins 3

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-The Knights shot 39.6 percent (21-53) from the field and 28.6 percent (6-21) from beyond the arc.
-Arcadia went 23-for-37 (62.2%) from the free throw line.
-The Knights scored 14 points off 18 Rutgers-Camden turnovers and had 15 fast-break points.
-There were 13 lead changes in the game and eight points in the contest where the game was tied.

UP NEXT
Arcadia (1-0) battles Salisbury in the Arcadia Tip-Off Tournament title game Sunday at 3 p.m. from Alumni Gymnasium.