WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Freshman Dyson Harward (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) sent a Mikeel Allen attempt into the stands, then denied Steve Pierce with 38 seconds remaining to preserve a five-point lead, as he finished with five blocks to go with 18 points and eight rebounds to lead the Lycoming College men's basketball team defeated Alvernia, 67-63, to clinch a spot in the MAC Commonwealth Championship, on Wednesday night, Feb. 12, at Lamade Gymnasium.
 
Harward broke the program's single-season record with his fifth block to preserve the Warriors' win, surpassing Michael Rudy, who had 61 blocks in 2012-13.
   
Senior Ryan Hollis (Centerville, Md./Saints Peters & Paul) scored 14 points, hitting all four of his 3-point attempts, junior Darius Dangerfield (Abington, Md./Harford Tech) added 13 points, four assists and five rebounds and freshman Mo Terry (Severn, Md./Severn School) finished with 11 points, as the Warriors shot 47.8 percent in the game.
 
The Warriors (16-7 overall, 9-5 MAC Commonwealth) held Alvernia to just 29.6 percent shooting in the second half and Alvernia's leading scorer Justin Thomas fouled out with seven minutes left and Alvernia holding a one-point lead. Lycoming took advantage of the opportunity with a Harward layup and senior Ryan Hollis (Centerville, Md./Saints Peters & Paul) nailed a 3-pointer to give the Warriors the lead. Dangerfield added two jumpers to get the lead to six with two minutes to play. Lycoming converted 6-of-8 foul shots in the final 45 seconds to hold off the late push from the Golden Wolves and keep a four-point difference between the teams.
 
Lycoming went 4-for-4 from 3-point range to open the game on a 12-5 run and shot 48 percent from the field on a 11-2 run over six minutes to build the lead to 10 on a Harward drive. Freshman Tobias Walden Jr. (New York, N.Y./Southern Columbia) found freshman DeAndre Manuel (Brooklyn, N.Y./Kipp NYC College Prep) streaking under the basket to begin the run. Freshman Jon-Marc Flores-Diaz (San Antonio, Texas, William Howard Taft) knocked down a 3-pointer, Dangerfield added a jumper and Harward added two free throws before his layup to hold a 31-21 advantage with five minutes remaining in the period.
 
The Golden Wolves (16-7 overall, 7-7 MAC Commonwealth) mounted a 13-2 run in the final four minutes of the first half to regain the lead, 34-33, on a 3-point shot from Thomas, who led Alvernia with 27 points. Harward led Lycoming in the half with 10 points, three rebounds and three assists. Dangerfield added seven points and Hollis connected on two 3-point shots early in the game for six points.
 
Keon Taylor added 17 for the Golden Wolves. Mikeel Allen posted eight of the team's 38 rebounds.
 
The Warriors wrap up their regular-season road schedule when they head to Albright on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 3 p.m. for a MAC Commonwealth game.