LYNDON, Vt. – Strong interior play, paired with a trio of stellar double-digit performances, led the Norwich University men’s basketball team to a 94-69 romp over the Northern Vermont University-Lyndon Hornets at Stannard Gym in non-conference action on Tuesday evening.

In a contest where the Cadets maintained an imposing 78-28 edge in points in the paint, three different Norwich players tallied at least 20 points, with Jalen Olivero (Holyoke, Mass.) posting a career-best 26 points on 11-22 shooting, in addition to a career-high five steals, to lead the effort.  Kohlby Murray (Fair Haven, Vt.) and Donovan Lewis Jr. (Savannah, Ga.) added 20 points apiece, with Murray finishing 9-11 from the floor, while Lewis went 10-14 to aid Norwich’s domination inside.

After the Cadets and Hornets traded baskets to open the contest, Norwich claimed a 4-2 lead on a Murray layup and never looked back, gradually building a lead that grew to 11 on an and-1 opportunity for Lewis Jr. nine minutes into the opening frame.  NVU-Lyndon would trim the lead back down to two on a Mondwell Bukle trey, before Norwich extended a 34-32 advantage on an 18-2 run to take an 18-point lead into the intermission.

The Hornets would attempt to hang around for the ensuing 12 minutes of the second stanza, cutting Norwich’s edge down to as low as 16 on three different occasions.  The Cadets shut down any potential threat, however, building a lead that ballooned to 27 on a long-range bomb from Charlie Rohr (Glen Allen, Va.) in the closing minutes.

Despite Rohr being responsible for the lone three-pointer of the game for Norwich, the Cadets still shot an electrifying 53.2% from the floor, which included a 55.8% mark in the first half.  In addition to the significant margin in points in the paint, a 24-0 first half in points off turnovers helped Norwich cruise to a 33-6 differential in points off turnovers.  The Cadets also held a 23-9 edge in second chance points.

“Always good to go on the road and get a win.  We came out fast and were able to establish a pace that allowed us to get the shots we wanted.  Jalen, Donovan, and Kohlby played incredibly well,” Head Coach Paul Booth said.  “I was very pleased with our defensive effort, as we forced 25 turnovers which was key in allowing us to go out in transition.”

Antonio Carlisle led the Hornets’ production behind 17 points, followed by Bukle’s 15 and Gregory Gonyea Jr.’s 14.

The victory extends Norwich’s win streak to four, a mark they reached twice last season.

The Cadets will return home and flip the calendar to December with the arrival of the annual Ed Hockenbury Classic, the men’s and women’s basketball tournament honoring former Norwich head men’s basketball coach Ed Hockenbury.  The men’s portion of the Classic will begin on Saturday, Dec. 3, as the Cadets will host New England College in a 6:00 p.m. bout in Andrews Hall.  Bridgewater State and the University of Maine at Fort Kent will close out Saturday with an 8:00 p.m. meeting, with a consolation game and championship game scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., respectively.