Alvernia (10-3, 5-1 PAC), which held a lead as large as six points in the final five minutes of play, took a 60-59 lead on a pair of free throws from senior guard Garrett Etzel (Shillington, PA/Governor Mifflin). Etzel led the Crusaders with a game-high 17 points, but shot just 6-for-18 from the floor and missed a potential game-winner in the final seconds.
Alvernia held a 10 point lead midway through the first half after Etzel knocked down a 3 assisted by freshman Zach Westmoreland (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown West), but the Crusaders, who struggled with foul trouble over the opening 20 minutes, surrendered that lead and trailed by one at the break, 31-30.
The early part of the second half was a back and forth affair until the Crusaders put together an 8-2 run, fueled by 3s from sophomore Terrence Shawell (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown) and Westmoreland, put the guests up seven, 47-40 with 13:00 to play. That lead disappeared quickly following a 9-2 Neumann run, but Alvernia came back with eight of the next 10 points for a 57-51 lead with 4 ½ to go.
Neumann took four minutes to put together a 7-1 run to tie the score at 58-all with under a minute to play. Alvernia managed just one free throw, turned the ball over three times, and missed two shots from the floor over that stretch. Neumann scored from the line to break the tie with 43 seconds left before Etzel’s pair with 25 to go.
Alvernia will travel to Arcadia University on Saturday for a conference tilt with the Scarlet Knights.
Neumann 61, Alvernia 60