CHESTER, Pa. (Jan. 18, 2017) – Junior Sardayah Sambo (Middletown, Del.) came alive to net 19 points in leading the Widener University men's basketball team to a 70-56 triumph over Arcadia on Wednesday evening at the Schwartz Center.
 
Widener built up a quick 7-1 lead and never trailed in the opening half. But after sophomore Nick Jackson (Rockville, Md.) and junior Sam Smith (Wyomissing, Pa.) gave the Pride seven-point leads on consecutive possessions, Arcadia climbed back into the game and was able to surprisingly knot the score at 28s heading into the break when Emmanuel Anderson-Marrow stole an inbounds pass and banked the ball in as the buzzer sounded.
 
The Knights used that momentum to take their first lead of the game in the opening minutes of the second half on two Josh Scott free throws followed by a Kyle Reilly trifecta. Widener, however, came back and responded with a 14-2 run to pull away. Smith most notably converted a 3-point play the old-fashioned way to help the hosts regain the lead at 35-33 and put them up for good with 15:31 left before sophomore Ryan McMahon (Mount Laurel, N.J.) extended the margin to twin figures. Sambo then drove in for two layups to make it 68-56 with 1:10 left and put the game out of reach.
 
Smith and Sambo each finished one rebound shy of a double-double to lead the way for Widener. Sambo contributed 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting to go along with nine boards and five blocks, while Smith ended the contest with 14 points and a career-high nine boards. Senior John Fender (Wallingford, Pa.) tallied 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
 
Phil Pierfy scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds to pace Arcadia (8-9, MAC Commonwealth 3-5) in the loss. Scott registered 12 points and four assists, and Anderson-Marrow added 11 points off the bench.
 
Widener (8-8, MAC Commonwealth 3-5), which has won five of its last six games at home, will entertain Albright on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.