ALLENTOWN, Pa. – A late first-half run pulled Haverford College close at the half, but host Muhlenberg College distanced itself from the Fords in second-half action for a 75-59 Centennial Conference men's basketball victory over visiting Haverford Tuesday night at Memorial Hall.

Lucas Colombo and Brett Cohen were two of four Fords (2-3, 0-2 CC) to score in double figures against the Mules (4-1, 1-1). The Haverford duo each registered a team-high 13 points with Cohen also pulling down a team-best nine rebounds.

Gibby Graves chipped in with 12 points and Louis Cipriano added 10 for the Fords in the loss.

Muhlenberg was paced by Malique Killing's game-high 18 points and 13 more from Alec Stavetski. Brandon Bovino tied Cohen for game-high honors on the glass with nine rebounds for Muhlenberg.

Early action Tuesday saw the Fords break in front, holding a lead for most of the the opening 13 minutes of the half. Graves converted both chances at the free throw line at the 13:13 mark to give Haverford a 13-11 lead.

A pair of Killing jumpers pushed the Mules ahead 15-13, and that would be the closest Haverford would come over the remainder of the game.

Muhlenberg stretched its advantage to 12 approaching halftime but a pair of layups from Graves sandwiched around a Cipriano three-pointer on successive trips down the court trimmed the lead to just five, 37-32, at the break.

The Mules scored the opening basket of the second half then increased its lead into double-digits through to the final buzzer.

Haverford accounted for 10 steals on the night and was out rebounded by only a 35-32 edge, but Muhlenberg went to the free throw line 21 times and converted 20 of those chances to pad its lead.

Next up for the Fords after the holiday break is an 8 p.m. home Centennial match-up on Tuesday, Dec. 3 against visiting Washington College.