NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University men's basketball team avenged a heartbreaking loss from last season, topping Regis College, 64-60, in a nail-biting Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) battle in Andrews Gymnasium on Tuesday evening.

Jalen Olivero (Holyoke, Mass.) led the Cadets offensively, shooting 8-15 from the floor to finish with a team-best 21 points, while Charles Nogard (Arlington, Mass.) recorded a career-high 20 points behind three treys and a 7-9 mark from the charity stripe.  Owen Liss (West Suffield, Conn.) rounded out Norwich's double-digit efforts, adding 11 points and eight caroms.

The Pride surged out of the gates, draining a three-pointer off the opening possession en route to taking a pair of 10-point leads, the last coming at the 8:08 mark of the first half.  A Sharif Sharif (Burlington, Vt.) layup initiated a 13-3 run that was capped off by a layup from Nogard.  Norwich's momentum was halted in the closing minutes, as Regis rebuilt its lead behind seven-straight points before halftime.

The Cadets again battled their way back, with Mohammed Kanneh (South Burlington, Vt.) knotting the contest at 33-all before Olivero pushed Norwich ahead for the first time all night on a trey.  The Pride reclaimed their advantage, carrying a 50-48 lead into the final six minutes and 33 seconds.

Nogard took control of the Cadet offense, erupting for 10-straight points over the ensuing four minutes to again give Norwich the lead.  Regis refused to turn away, but the visitors were unable to overcome Norwich's lead, as freebies down the stretch by Niklas Nordberg (Fairfield, Pa.) and Olivero iced the game.

Norwich maintained leads in points in the paint (26-16) and fast break points (8-5), while the offense carried a sharp 44.0% shooting clip from the floor.  The Cadet defense, meanwhile, limited Regis to 38.2% on field goals and 25.9% from beyond the arc.

Prior to the contest, a moment of silence was held in honor of Jason Behenna, the longtime Sports Information Director at Regis College who tragically passed away suddenly this past November.  Behenna was in his seventh season at Regis and his 25th as an Athletic Communications professional.  He left an enduring legacy and impact within the field of Athletic Communications, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference, and athletics overall.

Norwich will hit the road for two straight games to close the month of January, first traveling to Dean College on Saturday, Jan. 25, for a 3:00 p.m. showdown.  The Cadets then cross state lines to battle Colby-Sawyer College on Wednesday, Jan. 29.