Led by a monster game from freshman forward Kevin Bercy, the StFX X-Men (10-5) scored an 81-66 win over the visiting UNB Varsity Reds (8-8) Saturday night in AUS basketball action at Oland Centre in Antigonish.

The Subway player of the game grabbed a double-double with 30 points and 13 rebounds, while adding three blocked shots and two steals.

"We turned up the defense in the second half and got some easy baskets," Shane Coupland, a fourth-year X-Men forward, said after the game.

The X-Men outscored the Varsity Reds 45-32 in the second half.

Coupland, off the bench, scored 14 points, including three 3-pointers. He added seven rebounds, two steals and one assist.

Fifth-year senior guard Jordan Clarke also hit double digits with 12 points, while veteran Will Donkoh and freshman point guard Jameel Williamson led the blue and white with five assists apiece.

The X-Men outrebounded the Varsity Reds 44-28.

League-leading scorer Javon Masters led the visitors with 23 points. The rookie added four rebounds, four assists and one steal.

Jordan Irvine and Hussein Egal also hit double figures with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Egal, in his first season, added a team-high eight rebounds, along with three blocked shots, one assist and one steal.

Dylan Baker led UNB with five assists.

StFX led 36-34 at halftime.

"It doesn't mean anything; we should have a bigger lead," Kevin Bercy said at the intermission when asked about his 18 first-half points.

"We need to get stingy on defense, force more turnovers and start to defensive rebound better and run the floor."

The X-Men return to action Tuesday, Feb. 11, when they travel to Sydney to face the Cape Breton Capers at Sullivan Field House.

StFX will wrap-up their home schedule for the regular season next weekend when they host the AUS-leading Acadia Axemen (Friday, Feb. 14) and the Dalhousie Tigers (Saturday, Feb. 15) at Oland Centre. Both games will tip-off at 8 p.m.
 
-30-