The Warriors (12-5, 3-3 Freedom) opened the game unconscious on the offensive end as they hit 7-of-9 to start the game led by 15 points, 26-11, with 8:43 left in the opening half. The Bulldogs (13-4, 5-1 Freedom) settled down and turned the defensive dial up a couple of notches from that point, using a quick 12-0 run over the next 3 ½ minutes to cut the margin to just three points 26-23. Senior Kyle Koch had seven of the 12 points during the spurt.
Lycoming answered the spurt by outscoring DeSales 6-2 over the last five minutes of the half as the Warriors took a 32-25 lead into the locker room. LC shot 47.6 percent in the first half but committed 22 turnovers, while DeSales converted just 32.3 percent of its shots.
The second half saw the Bulldogs’ defense take over. DSU held Lycoming to just 11 second-half points and did not allow a field goal until the 13:50 mark of the last half. A 25-4 run out of the locker room gave DSU a 50-36 lead with 7:37 remaining and the Warriors never got any closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
Koch scored 16 of his game-high 23 points in the second-half and DSU held Lycoming to 20.8 (5-of-24) shooting over the final 20 minutes of play. The Bulldogs shot 58.3 percent following halftime and committed just 11 turnovers in the game.
Koch’s 23 tallies came on a 10-for-16 shooting night. Senior Michael Venafra and senior Kevin Welsh combined for 21 points and nine assists and freshman Phil Stricker totaled seven points and four rebounds in the win.
Junior Jonathan Pribble scored a team-high 12 points but was just 2-for-10 from the field. Patrick Baylor added 10 tallies in the loss.