PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Under the bright lights of The Palestra, Catholic men's basketball faced off against Drew for a Sunday afternoon Landmark Conference match up. The Cardinals built an early lead at the historic venue, and secured a 78-70 victory over the Rangers.

Both teams brought the heat from tip-off, fighting to get on the board. It was Drew that struck first, with a three-pointer from Kevin Cronin, but the Cardinals quickly responded with a layup from Michael Dankert.

In the third minute, the Cardinals took their first lead with a jumper from Brian Herbert, starting their 7-0 run against the Rangers. 

CJ Ruoff was a standout on the court, tallying nine points in the first 10 minutes of play, totaling 14 for the half. Herbert was also a force on both sides of the court, shooting 75% from the field and notching two key blocks on defense in the first half.

With seven minutes left in the half, Googie Seidman established his dominance on the court, netting two shots from beyond the arc to secure a double-digit lead for the Cardinals. Catholic maintained command, going 8-9 from the free throw line and 80% from three to stay ahead.

The Rangers fought to take back the lead as the minutes ran out on the first, narrowing the gap to five points, but Catholic held the lead, up 36-31 at the intermission. 

Both Catholic and Drew turned up the intensity in the second half, the Cardinals controlling the boards in the first 10 minutes while the Rangers capitalized on Cardinal turnovers. Catholic looked to rebuild their double figure lead, but Drew stayed close, keeping the battle nearly neck-and-neck.

Herbert led the charge in the second half with 16 points, totaling 22 for the game. The senior guard went 10-10 from the free throw line, which became crucial as both teams entered bonus territory. Ruoff also continued to be a leader on the court, picking up 9 points in the half, bringing his total to 23 for the game, his seventh game scoring 20 or more points this season.

Dankert and Charley Hepting led the Cardinals with six rebounds apiece, while Seidman led with three steals. Seidman also finished in the double figures with 13 points for the Cardinals.

The Rangers fought to bridge the divide but the Cardinals never wavered, keeping the lead from the third minute of play and holding their opponents to less than 40% from the field. Catholic defeated Drew in the meeting 78-70, extending their record to 10-3 and 6-0 in Landmark play.

Catholic will return to action on Wednesday, January 14 for a match up against Susquehanna at home. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on Franny Murray Court.