WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Holding Albright College to just 24 percent from the floor in the second half, the Lycoming College men's basketball team erased a one-point halftime deficit and cruised to the program's second straight MAC Commonwealth Championship, 76-62, in the final on Saturday night, Feb. 25, in Lamade Gym.
 
Senior Nyk King (Harlem, N.Y./Manhattan Center for Science & Math) earned the tournament MVP honors after posting 21 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals in the championship game. Senior David Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Communications Tech) added 15 points, five rebounds and three assists and junior Chris Wallace (Randallstown, Md./Calvert Hall) added 11 points, nine rebounds and three steals.
 
The Warriors will hear their name called during the NCAA Division III Championship Selection Show on Monday, Feb. 25, at 12:30 p.m. on NCAA.com for the second straight year and the seventh time in program history.
 
The Warriors (23-4 overall), who trailed by one at halftime for the second straight game, shot 57 percent from the floor (12-of-21) in the second half and used a 12-2 run that started 11 minutes into the half to take control and push the lead to double figures and give Lycoming its first repeat conference title in program history after also winning titles in 2002, 2004 and 2016.
 
After fighting through eight ties and 14 lead changes in the game's first 30 minutes, a 3-pointer from senior Willie Kee (Baltimore, Md./Parkville) with 8:47 left made it 55-50. After both teams had two chances, junior Darius James (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Loughlin) hit a huge layup while getting fouled with 7:33 left.
 
Albright (13-14 overall) cut the lead to five as the clock ticked under six minutes, but junior Alex Newbold (Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic) tipped in a huge putback for a 3-point play with 4:45 left and King added two free throws with 3:49 left to make it 62-52. From there, Albright could get no closer than nine and Lycoming got the lead to 18 with 1:02 left at 76-58 before Albright scored the last four points.
  In the first half, the Warriors and Lions worked through six ties and seven lead changes, with neither team grabbing more than a four-point lead through the first 14 minutes before the Warriors scored eight straight points to extend a two-point lead to 10 at 34-24 with 4:36 left after a layup from Wallace.
 
The Lions finished the half on an 14-3 run, taking the lead at 38-37 after a pair of free throws from DeJuan Smith with four seconds left in the period.
 
Smith led the Lions with 24 points and Omari Ringgold added 13 points and three rebounds. DeLascio Dancy also had eight points, but Albright finished with just 23 rebounds and shooting just 37 percent (20-of-54) from the floor.
 
Lycoming turned the ball over 27 times, but shot 49 percent (23-of-47) from the field and had a solid 40-23 advantage in rebounding. The Warriors also hit 21-of-26 from the charity stripe in the win.
 
Newbold finished with eight points and three assists and Kee had seven points and three assists. Sophomore T.J. Duckett (Severna Park, Md./Calvert Hall) also added seven points.