HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College men's basketball team held high-flying Catholic University to more than 20 points below its season scoring average but the visiting Cardinals were able to score just enough to take home a 52-40 non-conference victory over the Fords Monday night.

Catholic (4-0) came into Gooding Arena averaging 73 points per game from 47 percent shooting but the Fords (2-3) limited the unbeaten visitors to a 17-for-53 (32 percent) night from the floor and to 21 points below their scoring average.

Trailing by 12 at the intermission Haverford scored the opening two baskets in the second half, both from Bo Friddell, and eventually trimmed the margin to just two points at the 12:52 mark of the second stanza.

The Catholic lead escalated to eight before the Fords cut it in half with just under 10 to play and then again with the clock winding toward the 4:00 mark.

Some untimely misses from the Fords and a pair of layups combined with five consecutive free throws down the stretch closed out the win for Catholic, however.

The opening half was indicative of how the night would be for both teams as Haverford held a two-point lead at just 12-10 with 8:27 to play.

Catholic embarked on a 15-0 run over the next eight minutes, though, to erase the deficit and break the game open. An Ian Goldberg jumper with 24 ticks left ended the dry spell for Haverford.

Sam Permutt posted a double-double for the Fords pulling down 10 rebounds while scoring 10 points. Goldberg also added 10 points for Haverford in the loss.

Dan DiVietri registered game-highs in points, 18, and rebounds, 13, for the Cardinals. Jason Banzhaf chipped in with 14 points and snared 10 off the glass for Catholic's other double-double in the win.

Next up for the Fords is a return to Centennial Conference action Wednesday night with a trip to Washington College for a 7:30 p.m. contest.