Etzel scored 18 points before the break and knocked down four of his five 3s before the break as Alvernia built a 47-32 lead at the half. GMC junior Chris DelBrocco (Philadelphia, PA/St. John Neumann) hit a 3 to give the Griffins (9-13, 7-8 PAC) their only lead of the game, 26-25, and Alvernia freshman Sharron Richardson (Chester, PA/Chester) answered with a 3 for the final lead change of the night.
The Griffins were within one, 30-31 with 4:28 left in the opening half, but Etzel scored 12 points as the Crusaders (19-4, 15-1) closed the half with a 16-2 run.
GMC closed to within five points with a 14-4 run to start the second half. Senior guard Francis Bowe (Phoenixville, PA/St. Pius X) paced the Griffins with six of his 13 points during the run. Alvernia senior Chris Talley (Royersford, PA/Spring Ford) scored on a driving layup and Zach Straining (Paxtang, PA/Central Dauphin East) hit a wide open 3 as the Crusaders pushed the lead to 10 and held it in double figures until a late Griffin push cut the gap to eight with 2:16 to play.
Talley made 1-of-2 from the line with 1:37 to play to push the lead to nine and after a pair of technicals on the Griffins’ head coach, Etzel hit four straight free throws to surpass his previous career high of 28.
Alvernia shot 57 percent from the floor including a 10-of-22 effort from behind the 3-point arc. The Crusaders shot better than 80 percent from the free throw line for the third straight game since a 54 percent effort in last Monday’s win over Eastern.
Alvernia will travel to Eastern on Saturday with proceeds from the game going to Coaches for Cancer.
Alvernia 95, Gwynedd-Mercy 84
BOX" class="red" rel=nofollow>http://athletics.alvernia.edu/Sports/mbball/2006/060208mbbox.asp">BOX SCORE