ASTON, PA. -- In a rematch of the title game a year ago, it was Neumann who came out with a 79-57 win over the defending champion Gwynedd Mercy in the championship game of the 2017 Colonial States Athletic Conference Tournament on Saturday...

Cedric Elleby had 14 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks, and three steals for the Griffins, who were making their eighth appearance all-time in the conference championship game.  Courtney Cubbage added 10 points, but GMercyU was held to a season-low 25% shooting for the game.

Darian Barnes was named the Championship MVP as he led the 15th-ranked Knights with a triple double (11 points/15 rebounds/10 blocks). Teammate DeShawn Loman netted a game-high 25 points for Neumann, who captured their second CSAC Crown.

The two teams traded blows early in the contest, as Neumann got out to a 10-4 lead. Three-pointers from Manny Lopez and Rich Dunham were part of an 8-0 spurt to put GM back ahead. Dunham would hit another three to tie things at 15-15 with 12 minutes in the half. Later, trailing 24-22, the Knights would go on a 23-3 run over the final 6:40 of the stanza to open up a 47-25 advantage at the break.

The Knights kept the Griffins out of reach in the second half, en route to the win.

Elleby, Arron Goodman, Jason Cavell, and Drew Dietterich close out their Gwynedd careers, winning 79 games total, winning a CSAC Championship, claiming an NCAA Tournament victory, and four-straight conference playoff berths.

For Elleby, he will leave the program among the top 5 statistical leaders in scoring (third), rebounding (second), blocks (second), and rebounding average (fourth). Goodman is ranked third all-time in scoring average and fifth in rebounding average. Both players would surpass the 1,000-point mark this season.