WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Within one point of the defending Landmark Conference champions with the clock ticking under four minutes, the Lycoming College men's basketball team came up just short in an upset bid on Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 8, falling to the Catholic University of America, 65-61, in Lamade Gym.
 
Sophomore Hayden Pardoe (Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain) led the Warriors (2-10 overall, 1-4 Landmark) with 20 points and six rebounds and junior Isaiah Valentine (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) added 18 points, four assists and two steals, as the team held a 38-35 lead at halftime after shooting 47 percent from the field (14-of-30) in the half.
 
Senior Ivan Komitski (Sofia, Bulgaria/Lee Academy) added 10 points, two assists and two steals and first-year Brian Kopp (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) added five points and four assists.
 
The Warriors shot 41 percent (12-of-29) from 3-point range in the contest, hitting twice as many from deep as the Cardinals (10-2 overall, 4-0 Landmark).
 
Komitski hit a 3-pointer to kick off the scoring in the second half, but Catholic used a 14-1 run over the next seven minutes to lead 49-42. The Warriors tied the game thanks to back-to-back trifectas from Pardoe and Valentine and a free throw from Valentine made it 52-51 with 8:28 left. The Cardinals scored the next five points, but the Warriors closed within a point twice, the second time on a layup from Valentine with 4:12 left.
 
Catholic took advantage of a pair of untimely turnovers to get fastbreak points, though and a 3-pointer gave the Cardinals a 65-57 lead with 2:20 left. The Warriors scored the last four points, but couldn't get closer in the final minutes.
 
Catholic led 12-6 before a Pardoe 3-pointer brought the team within a possession, where it stayed until back-to-back treys from Pardoe and Valentine game the Warriors a 20-17 lead with 9:37 left in the first. Another trey from Valentine made it 28-21 with 6:51 left and a nifty move inside by sophomore Ethan Bomgardner (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) made it 32-25 with 5:09 left.
 
Catholic scored the next eight points, but Pardoe hit a three with 1:55 left, then Valentine connected to make it a five-point margin before a pair of Catholic free throws made it 38-35 at the break.
 
Brian Herbert led the Cardinals with 20 points and 11 rebounds and Justin Green added 11 points. Jamie Ntiamoah added 10 rebounds, as Catholic held a 47-31 advantage on the glass, but Catholic fell victim to 11 turnovers in the game.
 
The Warriors get back on the court on Sunday, Jan. 12, when they head to the historic Palestra to cap a four-game Landmark Conference play day in Philadelphia by facing Moravian University at 7:30 p.m.