BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The Pratt Institute men's basketball team raced out to a quick 13-point lead against visiting Cairn University, but a strong second half saw the Highlanders walk away with a 86-61 win on Tuesday night at the Activities Resource Center.
Patrick O'Gorman led the way for Pratt (7-11) with 16 points on 7-of-16 shooting, while grabbing a team-high eight boards and dishing out four assists. Jaden Young added 14 points and three caroms. Mekhi Davis rounded out three in double-figures with 11 points in 16 minutes off the bench with three rebounds. Justin Caver contributed nine points, five boards and two assists. Thomas Van Trier matched a career-high dishing out seven assists with five points and four rebounds.
Cairn (11-7) scored the first four points of the contest before Pratt unleashed a 19-2 run to open a quick 13-point lead. The visitors pulled within two before the gold-and-black moved back ahead by seven, before an 18-4 Highlander spurt put Pratt at a seven-point disadvantage, but an O'Gorman triple before the break sent the Cannoneers into the lockers down three, 38-35.
The Highlanders opened the second stanza on a 10-2 run and widened their lead on the strength of 48 percent shooting in the period (13-of-27) with six triples while Pratt managed just 35 percent (12-of-34) in the closing 20.
Derian Bradford led all scorers with a 20-point, nine-rebound double-double and Jon Desir added 18 and seven as five finished in double-figure scoring for Cairn.
Pratt's scheduled home game against Vaughn College on January 25, 2024 has been canceled. The Cannoneers will open a five-game road stand on Monday, January 29 traveling to the Garden State to meet St. Elizabeth University in a 7 p.m. tilt.
