(box score)

Widener exploded in the first half and held off Immaculata for a 75-50 season-opening victory at Schwartz Center.

The Pride (1-0) raced to a 42-16 halftime lead by shooting 46 percent (17-of-37) from the field and holding the Mighty Macs to only 32 percent (7-of-22).  Sophomore BJ Smith (Baltimore, MD) scored 12 points in the half on 5-of-7 shooting and senior Bobby Edmunds (Linwood, NJ) netted 11.

Immaculata (0-1) made things interesting by closing to 52-40 with 11:12 left on a tip-in from John Boyd.  But Widener went on a 10-2 spurt thanks to four points from junior Jarrell Nelson (Waldorf, MD) for a 62-42 lead with 5:54 remaining.

Senior Jamarr Johnson (Pittsgrove, NJ) scored 16 points, two shy of his career best, Edmunds netted 15 and Smith had 14 for the Pride, who shot 47 percent (30-of-64) from the floor.  Edmunds drilled three 3-pointers to help the squad hit 10-of-17.

Sophomore Jack Brennan (Stratford, NJ) grabbed 10 rebounds for Widener.

Nelson Torres poured in 17 points and Eric Barefield scored 10 for the Mighty Macs, who committed 29 turnovers and shot only 42 percent (22-of-52) from the field.

Widener on Friday hosts Saint Joseph's (Brooklyn) in the Oki Data Americas Tip-Off at 6:00 pm.  The second game features Regis against Rowan at 8:00 pm.