Box Score

READING, Pa. – A free throw from Charles Cooper with 24 seconds left helped lift Alvernia University to a narrow 67-66 Commonwealth Conference win over the Lycoming College men's basketball team in a rematch of the 2013 conference title game at the Physical Education Center on Wednesday night, Dec. 4.
 
The Crusaders (4-2 overall, 1-1 Commonwealth) fought back from a 15-point second half deficit to tie with 34 seconds left on a dunk by Brian Parker off a back screen pass by Chris Davis, making it 66-66. A steal by Cooper set up the winning free throws, as he was fouled heading to the rack. The Warriors (4-2 overall, 1-1 Commonwealth) kept the ball for the final shot, but after the jumper with five seconds left rolled off the back iron and the front, it fell off and a tip-in attempt also fell off the rim before Alvernia could clear the ball out to ensure the win.
 
Senior Michael Rudy (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks and sophomore William Wingate (Philadelphia, Pa./Mastery Charter) added 15 points and seven rebounds. Senior Justin Miller (Agawam, Mass./Bridgton Academy) added 13 points and eight boards and senior Kevin Anthony (Columbus, Ohio/Bridgton Academy) notched 10 points.
 
Lycoming shot 47 percent (26-for-55) from the field and held a 45-33 advantage on the glass, but Alvernia countered that by turning the ball over just seven times and getting to the line 26 times, as it took nine more shots from the field and eight more at the line to sneak away with its third straight win over Lycoming.
 
A one-point game with 8:32 left, the Warriors didn't let the Crusaders tie or take the lead until the dunk with 34 seconds left. Lycoming got the lead back to six points after a layup by sophomore Armani Taylor (Upper Marlboro, Md./Bowie), making it 60-54 with 6:37 left. With both teams locking down, the teams exchanged just one layup each over the next 2:45 before Cooper hit a 3-pointer to make it 62-59 with 3:21 left.
 
Another layup by Lamont Clark made it a one-point game before senior Michael Rudy (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) hit a pair of free throws and Wingate hit a floater with 1:47 left to make it 66-61.
 
However, that was the last points the Warriors would score while Alvernia got back within one possession when Cooper hit three free throws after he was fouled shooting a 3-pointer. After a Lycoming turnover, Parker tied the game with his dunk.
 
While the Crusaders struggled to get into the flow in the first half, hitting 3-of-19 from beyond the arc, the Warriors built a 22-9 lead through the first 10 minutes of the game, with Wingate capping off a play after a steal by Dougher.
 
The Warriors allowed the Crusaders to get back within 10 points just once more in the half, when Steve Schneider canned a try to make it 29-21 with 2:52 left. The Warriors answered, with Wingate dropping in a three of his own. The Warriors continued to control the game, leading by as many as 14 before a pair of free throws helped cut the Alvernia deficit to 38-26 at halftime.
 
The Warriors kept the lead in double figures for the first six minutes of the second half before the Crusaders struck fast to get back into the game, hitting four 3-pointers during the run to help them complete a 16-7 run to make it a one-point game at 54-53 with 8:32 left.
 
Four Crusaders finished in double figures, as Davis posted 16 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Parker added 13 points and 10 rebounds and Clark notched 12 points, six rebounds and four assists. Cooper finished with 11 points.
 
The Warriors get back on the court on Saturday, Dec. 7, when they head to Hood for a 3 p.m. Commonwealth Conference tilt.