Box Score

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Up by one point with 6:37 left on Wednesday night, Nov. 28, in its Commonwealth Conference opener, the Lycoming men’s basketball team turned to senior Anthony Martin (Detroit, Mich./Christ the King) and junior Justin Miller (Agawam, Mass./Bridgton Academy) to make a series of big plays and salt away a 75-62 win over Alvernia University.
 
Martin started the run after the Crusaders (1-1 overall, 0-1 Commonwealth) cut the lead to 55-54 with 6:37. He was left alone on the left side of the arc and canned a 3-pointer and then traded jumpers with Lamont Clark and another by Brian Parker made it 60-58 with 5:17 left. Miller put some distance between the teams, though, as he got his own rebound and put in a layup to start an old-fashioned 3-point play. Then he grabbed the rebound of a Crusader miss, found senior point guard Jerald Williams (Riverdale, Md./Bladensburg), who lofted a lob pass to a streaking junior Kevin Anthony (Columbus, Ohio/Bridgton Academy), who soared over the rim and put in a layup with 3:55 left.
 
After nearly two scoreless minutes, Miller got another offensive board and put it in, forcing Alvernia to make Lycoming ice the game at the foul line, which they did by hitting all eight free throws in the final two minutes.
 
The Warriors jumped out to an 18-7 lead in the first five minutes, as Williams doled out five assists during the run and Anthony led the run with six points. The Crusaders fought back throughout the rest of the half, cutting the lead to one with 3:24 left after a pair of free throws from Josh Vargas, but Lycoming closed the run with a pair of buckets from Miller and a 3-pointer from sophomore Chris Foreman (Union, N.J./Union) that rattled in at the buzzer to give it a 36-30 lead at the break.
 
Alvernia stayed close throughout the second half, drawing within a point four times and even tying the game at 45 with 11:43 left, but Lycoming never lost the lead before pulling away in the final five minutes.
 
Miller finished with his first career double-double, notching career-highs of 11 points and 13 rebounds while also posting three blocks. Martin added career-highs of 24 points and nine rebounds, as the Warriors dominated the boards, holding a 51-40 advantage, which led to 14 second-chance points.
 
Anthony notched 12 points and eight rebounds to go with two blocks to become the fifth player in school history to reach 75 career blocked shots. Foreman hit three 3-pointers and finished with 15 points and seven rebounds. Williams finished with 13 assists, six rebounds and six points, as he tied his career-long with four straight double-figure assist games.
 
Kahlil Bennett led the Crusaders with 19 points and two steals and Terrance Bridges posted 10 points and 10 boards. Parker also had 10 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Chris Davis notched eight points and nine assists.
 
The Warriors get back in action on Saturday, Dec. 1, when they host Hood College in a Commonwealth Conference doubleheader. The women tip at 1 p.m. and the men tip at 3 p.m.