WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Sophomore Alex Newbold (Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic) finished with 16 points and eight rebounds to lead the Lycoming College men's basketball team, but Messiah College shot 49 percent from the floor to post a 68-47 MAC Commonwealth win on Wednesday night, Feb. 3, at Lamade Gym.
 
Lycoming (15-6 overall, 7-5 MAC Commonwealth) had 11 players find the scoring column, but Newbold was the lone one to finish in double figures. Senior John Monkam (Lanham, Md./DuVal) added six points, three steals and two blocks and freshman T.J. Duckett (Severna Park, Md./Calvert Hall) added five points and one made 3-pointer, as he became the 27^th player in school history to hit 50 3-pointers in a season.
 
Even with the loss, the Warriors moved a half-game closer to earning a spot in the MAC Commonwealth Championship Tournament, thanks to Alvernia's 78-70 win over Hood, and Lycoming also held onto its half-game lead on second place in the league, as Arcadia and Lebanon Valley fell to 6-5 in the league along with Stevenson with five games remaining. The Warriors have four.
 
Messiah (6-14 overall, 3-8 MAC Commonwealth) hit 10 3-pointers to distance itself from the Warriors early in the first half, as Neil Murren finished with 14 points and four 3-pointers and Logan Long added 12 points, six rebounds and four 3-pointers. Jimmy Brackett added 14 points, seven rebounds and three blocks and Jonah Meredith posted 11 rebounds and seven assists. Josh Clippinger also added nine points.
 
The Warriors took an early 4-2 lead after sophomore Chris Wallace (Randallstown, Md./Calvert Hall) found Newbold for a fastbreak layup with 18:20 left, but the Falcons used a run of 17 points to take a 24-6 lead with 10:02 left in the first half. Late in the half, the Falcons posted a 16-5 run to head into the break with a 45-20 lead. In the second half, the Warriors could get no closer than 19 points.
 
The Warriors get back on the court on Saturday, Feb. 6, when they head to Arcadia for another pivotal MAC Commonwealth doubleheader. The women will tip at 1 p.m. before the men at 3 p.m.