ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. - Led by sophomores Jesse Hafemeister and Tommy Kelly, the Catholic University men's basketball team posted a 79-76 victory over host St. Mary's (Md.) in the Battle of D.C. & Maryland Sunday.

The Cardinals (4-0) are off to their best start to a season since 2016-17 when they began the year with five-straight wins en route to a 17-9 record.

Catholic posted a 2-0 record this weekend with wins over Gallaudet and St. Mary's to capture the tournament championship. The Cardinals captured their first tournament title since an 87-84 win over Ursinus in their own Holiday Inn Washington-College Park Tournament on Dec. 30, 2017.

Hafemeister was named tournament MVP while Kelly joined him on the all-tournament team. The duo combined for 47 points and 14 rebounds against the Seahawks while going 12-of-12 from the free throw line. Hafemeister totaled 25 points, a career-high nine rebounds and three assists while Kelly added 22 points and five rebounds.

Catholic has had a player score 20 points in eight of its last 11 games, including three-straight, with two players scoring at least 20 points twice. Hafemeister, Kelly and sophomore Colby Martins have scored 20 points three times each while sophomore Jake Timby has has done it once.

The Seahawks (0-1) took a 6-0 lead just over one minute into the game before the Cardinals responded with the next eight to take their first lead.

The game featured eight ties and nine lead changes with St. Mary's taking a 38-37 lead at halftime.

Catholic scored 10 of the first 12 points in the second half, including four each from Hafemeister and Kelly, to take a 47-40 advantage with 17:09 remaining.

The Seahawks regained the lead, 63-61, on a three-pointer by Isaiah Eggleston with 7:06 to play before the Cardinals tied it at 65-65 on a three by Hafemeister. From there, the game would feature three ties and three lead changes with Catholic taking the lead for good, 70-68, on a layup by Kelly with 3:21 left.

The basket was part of a 9-0 run by the Cardinals who led 75-68 with 54 seconds remaining.

Catholic scored its final seven points from the free throw line over the final 1:27, going 7-for-8, to preserve its 16th win in the last 17 meetings against St. Mary's since Jan. 23, 2002. The win avenged the team's only loss, a 65-49 defeat in the Battle of D.C. & Maryland at Hood on Nov. 15, 2019.

Martins finished with 12 points, including 10 from the free throw line where he was 10-for-14. As a team, the Cardinals were 26-of-34 from the free throw line for 76.5 percent.

Senior Frank Lumaj scored a career-high 10 points to go along with four rebounds while freshman Justin Green had eight rebounds.

Jordan Goodwin had 20 points and seven rebounds to lead the Seahawks.

Following a four-game road to open the season, Catholic makes its home debut on Wednesday against Shenandoah. Tip-off from Franny Murray Court is at 7 p.m.