WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Three Lycoming College men's basketball players finished in double figures and the team held a 10-rebound advantage over Lebanon Valley College, but a hot-shooting effort by Lebanon Valley helped it end Lycoming's nine-game winning streak, 80-72, on Wednesday night, Jan. 4, at Lamade Gym.
 
The fifth-longest winning streak in school history came to an end thanks to the hot-shooting of Lebanon Valley (9-5 overall, 3-2 MAC Commonwealth), which shot 50 percent (27-of-54) from the field and 43 percent (15-of-35) from deep to build what turned into a 16-point lead in the second half.
 
The Warriors (12-2 overall, 4-1 MAC Commonwealth) showed grit, grabbing 17 offensive rebounds, and four players had at least five boards, but they couldn't overcome a 39 percent (27-of-69) effort on the floor in a battle of the two teams predicted to finish atop the MAC Commonwealth in the preseason poll.
 
Lycoming's press also frustrated the Dutchmen into 18 turnovers in the game, which led to 22 points, and the Warriors held a 38-22 advantage in points in the paint.
 
The Dutchmen hit two 3-pointers to start the game and the outside shooting kept them in the game in the first half, even when Lycoming forced back-to-back turnovers in the press to tie the game at 12 early. Lycoming's pressure eventually got the lead to six points off a layup by senior Nyk King (Harlem, N.Y./Manhattan Center for Science & Math) at 23-17 with 11:34 left, but Lebanon Valley responded with 10 straight points.
 
The teams fought through five ties and six lead changes in the half, but Lebanon Valley began to take control late in the half with an 11-point run to make it 38-29 before the Warriors closed the gap down with 9-5 advantage in the half's final three minutes to make it 43-38 at the break.
 
In the second half, Lycoming's defense hunkered down to allow the team to score the first seven points of the half to take a 45-43 lead after a fastbreak bucket by senior David Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Communications Tech) with 16:10 remaining.
 
A minute and a half later, though, Sam Light hit a jumper in transition to give the Dutchmen a 49-48 lead and a 21-6 run that occupied nearly 10 minutes of the half helped the Dutchmen to a 72-56 lead with 3:56 left. The Warriors cut the lead down to eight points with a minute left off another fastbreak layup from Johnson, but Lebanon Valley hit four free throws in the final minute to ward off the charging Warriors.
 
Junior Chris Wallace (Randallstown, Md./Calvert Hall) finished with 13 points and seven rebounds and Johnson added 13 points. Freshman Ronald Jefferson (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King) added 10 points and both junior Alex Newbold (Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic) and King each added eight points, as King also posted six rebounds, three assists and three steals.
 
Lewisburg Area product Travis Conrad, the son of former Lycoming Coach Terry Conrad, led the Dutchmen with 20 points thanks to six 3-pointers and five assists. Sam Light added 18 points and five rebounds, Andy Orr posted 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists and Collin Moore posted 13 points and four assists.
 
The Warriors get back on the court on Saturday, Jan. 7, when they head to Stevenson for a 2 p.m. MAC Commonwealth game after the women play at 4 p.m.