ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – For the second straight game, four Lycoming College men's basketball players finished in double figures, but a late rally came up short as Elizabethtown College posted a 72-65 Landmark Conference win at Thompson Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 20.
 
Sophomore Isaiah Valentine (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) led the Warriors (6-11 overall, 2-8 Landmark) with 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. Sophomore J.J. Beagle (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport Area) added 13 points and 12 rebounds for his second straight double-double, first-year Hayden Pardoe (Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain) added 12 points, nine rebounds and two blocks and senior Mavin James (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) added 11 points.
 
After heading into the locker room down 15, the Warriors responded by shooting 56 percent (14-of-25) from the field in the second half and 50 percent (5-of-10) from deep, cutting a 38-21 Elizabethtown lead less than a minute into the period to a tie at 55 when Pardoe trailed a running Valentine after a steal, who left it off to the first-year for a fastbreak bucket with 4:41 left.
 
An old-fashioned 3-point play put Elizabethtown (7-10 overall, 4-6 Landmark) back in control. Beagle cut the lead to one with a second-chance dunk with 3:17 left, but Elizabetown scored the next five points and never let the Warriors back within three points, going 9-of-11 at the free throw line in the final 150 seconds.
 
The Warriors scored the first four points before an 18-4 run helped Elizabethtown get the lead into double figures with 8:57 left in the first half, where it stayed until Beagle hit a 3-pointer to make it 41-32 with 15:32 remaining in the game.
 
Rance Russo led the Blue Jays with 22 points, Reese Ziegler had 12 and E.J. Finney posted 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Niko Georgelis posted four assists and three steals.
 
The Warriors are back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 24, when they head to Wilkes University for a 7 p.m. Landmark Conference game.