November 24, 2025
Moravian Drops First Game of 2025-26 Season in Six-Point Setback to DeSales
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University men’s basketball team dropped its first game of the 2025-26 season, falling to visiting DeSales University, 95-89, in non-conference action in Johnston Hall Monday evening.
DeSales University
3-3
95
Moravian University
4-1
89
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
38 | 57 | 95 |
|
|
40 | 49 | 89 |
Team Stats
Game Leaders
DeSales University
Pts:
Jayden Thomas
- 36
Reb:
2 Players
(#06,
#22)
- 7
Ast:
Jayden Thomas
- 7
Team Stats
| Game Statistics | DeSales University | Moravian University |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (32-66) | (31-68) |
| Field Goal % | 48.5% | 45.6% |
| Rebounds | 44 | 33 |
| Assists | 12 | 21 |
| Turnovers | 11 | 12 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 13 | 12 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 11 | 9 |
| Pts in the Paint | 48 | 32 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 14 | 23 |
| Bench Pts | 25 | 11 |
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University men's basketball team dropped its first game of the 2025-26 season, falling to visiting DeSales University, 95-89, in non-conference action in Johnston Hall Monday evening.
How It Happened
- The Bulldogs scored the first six points of the contest before junior guard Joel Baez drained a three-pointer to get the Greyhounds on the scoreboard. DeSales pushed out to a four-point edge at 11-7 while a three-point play and a three-pointer by senior forward Marquis Ratcliff gave Moravian its first lead of the contest at 13-11 with just over 13 minutes left in the first half. The teams traded the lead over the next four minutes before the Blue & Grey moved ahead 24-22 on a lay-up by Ratcliff with 9:11 remaining in the half
- Racliff had a dunk on a fastbreak to make it 26-22, and Moravian would push the edge out to 36-28 on a three-pointer from senior guard Chad Kratzer at the 3:52 mark. The Hounds were up 37-28 after a Ratcliff free throw before the Bulldogs ran off eight straight points to cut the Greyhounds' advantage to 37-36 in the final minute of the opening half. Kratzer added another three-pointer as the Blue & Grey took a 40-38 lead into the intermission
- Baez opened the second half with a lay-up, and the Hounds held a 46-44 lead until Ratcliff hit a three-point play and another lay-up to move the advantage to 51-44 just over four minutes into the half. Sophomore guard Dylan Costa made it 54-45 with a three-pointer at the 15:10 mark. However, the Bulldogs netted the next 13 points to retake a 58-54 lead with 12:24 to play
- The Greyhounds would get back within a point at 67-66 on a three-pointer from senior forward Liam Cummiskey, but DeSales answered with a 10-0 run to take control for good. The closest Moravian would get after that was in the final seconds as Baez drained a three-pointer to make it 93-89 before the Bulldogs made two free throws to finish off the scoring
Inside the Numbers
- Moravian had four players in double figures with Ratcliff netting a game-high 28 points to go with nine rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot
- Baez tossed in a career-high 23 points to go along with six rebounds, one assist, one steal and two blocked shots while Kratzer added 11 points, four assists, two boards and two three-pointers.
- Cummiskey contributed 10 points, six rebounds and two assists with one steal while senior guard Porter Kelly had four rebounds and six points
- The Hounds' bench registered 11 points with Costa adding five points and junior guard George Cutler and sophomore forward Brave Haugh each scoring three points
- Moravian shot 31-for-68 from the field (45.6 percent), 14-for-34 on three-pointers and 13-for-17 at the free throw line while both squads grabbed 33 rebounds for 32 points in the paint for the Blue & Grey
- The Hounds entered the contest at 4-0 on the year for just the fourth time in program history and for the first time since 1974-75. The only other two 4-0 starts were in 1962-63 and 1954-55
Up Next for the Greyhounds
- Wednesday, December 3 vs. The University of Scranton, 7:00 p.m.
- Saturday, December 6 at Susquehanna University, 2:00 pm.
