CHESTER, Pa. (Nov. 13, 2015) – Sophomore Sardayah Sambo (Middletown, Del.) scored a career-high 28 points to lead the Widener University men's basketball team to a thrilling 82-72 victory over Washington College in the season opener for both schools on Friday, Nov. 13 at the Schwartz Center. The Pride led from wire-to-wire and advanced to tomorrow's championship match of the Widener University Autism for Awareness Tournament for the third straight time.
 
Widener seized control early by rattling off seven unanswered to start the game and 16 of the first 18 points in less than five minutes. Senior captain David Nicholson (Odenton, Md.) had the hot hand and hit four shots from downtown during the stretch to put the hosts in full command.
 
Despite trailing by 14 points, Washington College slowly chipped away at the deficit and used the hot hand of Pat Morgan to make it a one-possession game. But after the senior converted two free throws to create a 24-21 score with 8:02 left in the first, Widener battled back and went ahead by twin figures again on a Sambo dunk. Senior Laron Byrd (Philadelphia, Pa.) then set up an alley-oop dunk for Sambo to give the hosts a 38-27 advantage with 3:30 left, and the Pride carried a 45-37 lead into the recess.
 
Washington College brought the margin down to six on two occasions in the second half, but that was as close as the visitors would come the rest of the way. A thunderous dunk by Sambo that was set up by Marquis Powell (Bowie, Md.) made it 79-68 and would prove to be the dagger that would ultimately send the Pride into tomorrow's championship contest.
 
Sambo netted a career-best 28 points on 12-for-19 shooting while also grabbing eight boards to lead the way for Widener. Junior Jermaine Kamara (Cork, Ireland) registered a double-double and set career highs with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Nicholson also scored 18 points and was one of four Pride players to dish out four assists.
 
Washington College (0-1) was led by James Drury, who scored a team-high 18 points and led five Shoremen in double figures. Kevin McCormick had 13 points off the bench, and Dave Knox finished with 10 points and four helpers.
 
Widener (1-0) will play in the championship match tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 p.m. against Salisbury, which edged Rowan by a 62-61 score in the earlier game thanks to sinking a pair of free throws with 0.3 seconds on the clock. The Pride will be aiming to win the tournament crown for the second time in three years.