BLOOMFIELD, N.J. – As the temperatures outside edged closer to zero than to the freezing mark, a similarly cold offensive start by the Felician University men's basketball team inside the Bloomfield College Gymnasium ultimately spelled trouble for the Golden Falcons on Sunday afternoon. With an estimated gathering of 300 fans packing into the cozy confines of "The Gym," Bloomfield came away with a 90-78 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victory.

Bloomfield (9-3, 4-0 CACC) is in first place in the CACC North Division and is ranked No. 6 in the most recent NCAA Division II East Region media poll. Felician was playing for the first time since Dec. 11, a competitive layoff of 19 days.

Felician freshman guard Mansfield Warren Jr. (South Amboy, N.J.) recorded a season-high 25 points. Warren made 9 of 13 field goal attempts, including 5 of 7 from three-point range. He added five rebounds and two assists (against no turnovers) in 38 minutes. Warren, whose previous high was 12 points, becomes the fifth Golden Falcon to enjoy a 20+ point game this season.

Senior guard Marcus Fleming (Linden, N.J.) topped five Bloomfield double-figure scorers with 19 points. He added eight rebounds and four assists.

The Golden Falcons (4-7, 1-2) opened the day's scoring on an interior bucket by Rahsaan Williams (Brooklyn, N.Y.) one minute, 15 seconds, into the contest. The Bears came up with the next eight points, and Felician never led again.

A putback by Nick Davidson (Lumberton, N.J.) and a Fleming jumper gave Bloomfield a 19-4 edge with just over eight minutes elapsed. With 7:54 to go until halftime, the hosts stretched to a 30-10 edge following a three-pointer by Safee Abdus-Sabur (Newark, N.J.), and led by 23 points on two occasions. Warren tallied five points in the final 22 seconds to allow Felician to enter intermission trailing, 49-34.

The Golden Falcons outscored Bloomfield, 10-2, over the first four minutes of period two to come to within seven points of the Bears. Eight minutes of game time later, the margin remained the same, 67-60, after Warren found Gjaimeir Stanford (Wilmington, Del.) for a lay-up.

Bloomfield gained some breathing room when sophomore Dontay Julius (Linden, N.J.) canned three-pointers on consecutive possessions, the latter making it 73-60 at the 7:13 mark. Another three by Fleming  put the hosts up 81-64 with 4:41 remaining, effectively ending Felician's comeback chances.

Felician was defeated despite committing a season-low nine turnovers. Sophomore Zamir Wright (Newark, N.J.) scored 19 points and junior Terrell Spaulding (Paterson, N.J.) added 13. Williams (12 rebounds) and Stanford finished with eight points apiece.

Bloomfield's Davidson (five assists) and Rakwan Kelly (six rebounds) (Newark, N.J.) netted 14 points apiece. The Bears shot 51 percent from the field, including 56 percent in the first half.

Felician begins 2018 with three home games, including an 8 p.m. tip with Concordia (N.Y.) College on Wednesday.