RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Caldwell University took control with a fast start to the second half, then held off a late Felician University push in its 83-69 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference men's basketball victory over the host Golden Falcons on Wednesday night at Job Gymnasium.

The result tightens the middle of the CACC North Division standings as teams pass the halfway point of the 19-game conference schedule. Caldwell (9-11, 6-5 CACC) moved into third place in the seven-team division, with Felician (8-10, 5-5) and idle Post University (6-12, 5-5) a half-game back tied for fourth.

The top four teams in each CACC division at season's end advance to the league playoffs. Caldwell earned tiebreaker rights over the Golden Falcons on Wednesday by virtue of having defeated Felician for the second time this season.

Cougar senior guard Derek Dorn (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) led all players on the night with 26 points and added five assists. Felician junior swingman Terrell Spaulding (Paterson, N.J./Eastside), the top scorer in the CACC, turned in 23 points and seven rebounds in defeat.

The Golden Falcons used a three-point field goal by Mansfield Warren Jr. (South Amboy, N.J./St. Mary-Elizabeth) and a free throw from Zamir Wright (Newark, N.J./University HS) to take a 38-37 lead into halftime. But the Cougars outscored Felician, 15-6, over the first four minutes of the second half to move ahead for good.

With 11:29 remaining in regulation time, a free throw by Eric Johnson-Alford (Clifton, N.J./PCTI) put Caldwell ahead, 60-48. The visitors led by that same 12-point margin, 64-52, at the 9:33 mark before Wright drove to the basket for a conventional three-point play. Spaulding netted Felician's next seven points, and his three-pointer at 6:20 pulled the hosts within 67-62.

With his team ahead by six as the game clock neared five minutes, Johnson-Alford blocked a Felician shot. The Cougars recovered the ball, and Dorn and Vaughn Covington (Sicklerville, N.J./Neumann Goretti) canned consecutive three-pointers. The latter made the score 75-63 at the 4:16 mark and effectively put the game away.

Wright finished with 21 points, one short of a career high. Felician junior Rahsaan Williams (Brooklyn, N.Y./Williams) posted 14 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. The effort was Williams' fifth consecutive "double-double" and eighth of the season. Junior Ahmad Harrison (Newark, N.J./East Side) (6-7 FG, 6-6 FT) scored 20 points for Caldwell.

The first half featured five ties and six lead changes. Both teams were hot from the floor early. The game was even, 17-17, after 7 ½ minutes. Felician had as large as a seven-point edge and Caldwell was up by as much as six before the Golden Falcons settled for the 38-37 halftime advantage.

Felician returns to the road on Saturday, heading to Newark, Del., for a 3 p.m. CACC tipoff against Wilmington University.