News Release

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Moravian College men’s basketball team had its two-game winning streak snapped in a 64-60 loss to Widener University in Commonwealth Conference action at Johnston Hall Tuesday evening.

The Pioneers improve to 20-3 overall and 10-3 in Commonwealth Conference action while the Greyhounds fall to 8-16 overall and 3-10 in conference play.

Moravian trailed 4-2 before a 16-0 Greyhound run put Moravian up 18-4 with 12:36 left in the first half. Widener would slowly climb back into the game, getting as close as five points twice, but the Greyhounds went to the break with a 28-22 advantage.

Moravian was 11 of 29 from the floor in the first half (37.9 percent) with five three-pointers. The Greyhounds were just one of two at the foul line and committed eight turnovers; however, Moravian had a 22-16 rebounding advantage. The Pioneers were eight of 26 (30.8 percent) in the first half with one three-pointers and five of eight free throws (62.5 percent). Widener was guilty of six turnovers in the first 20 minutes.

Widener quickly tied the game at 32-32 in the second half and took its first lead since the opening two minutes of the game with a 35-32 edge with 16:58 remaining in the contest. The Greyhounds kept the game close with the game being tied six times in the next 11 minutes and neither team building more than a four-point lead. Moravian's final lead came with 3:38 left in the contest as the Greyhounds had a 55-54 advantage. Widener finished the game on a 10-5 run to clinch first place in the upcoming Commonwealth Conference Tournament coupled with Messiah College's lost to Elizabethtown College.

In the second half, Moravian was ten of 28 from the floor (35.7 percent) with three three-pointers, and the Greyhounds went nine of 11 from the foul line (81.8 percent). Moravian finished the game with a 41-31 advantage in rebounds, and the Greyhounds made just seven turnovers in the second half. Widener improved its shooting in the second 20 minutes, connecting on 15 of 29 field goal attempts (51.7 percent) with three three-pointers and a nine of 11 performance at the foul line as well. Widener also took care of the ball in the second half with just three turnovers.

Sophomore guard Ryan Miller led Moravian with 15 points, two rebounds and two steals while senior forward Zach Zsilavecz had 11 points and three rebounds. Sophomore guard Justin Chestnut and sophomore forward Eric Whitman each tossed in eight points while Chestnut had four assists and Whitman grabbed a career high nine rebounds.

Junior guard Michael Clemente contributed six points on a pair of three-pointers for the Greyhounds while junior forward Matt Delvin had five rebounds and four points. Senior forward Ed Reid was limited to just two points and three rebounds but had a career high six blocked shots for Moravian.

For Widener, senior center/forward Kris Clarkson tied his career high with 31 points including 25 in the second half, and he added nine rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots.

Senior guard Brandon Blakey and senior forward Brooke Tidswell each netted eight points for the Pioneers with Blakey dishing out six assists and Tidswell grabbing six boards and blocking two shots. JUnior guard Essien Ford added five points in the Widener win.

Newspaper Box Score
Widener University vs Moravian College
02/14/06 8:15 PM at Johnston Hall, Bethlehem, PA
At Johnston Hall, Bethlehem, PA
WIDENER UNIVERSITY 64, MORAVIAN COLLEGE 60
WIDENER UNIVERSITY (20-3, 10-3 Comm.)
Kris Clarkson 12-16 7-9 31; Brandon Blakey 2-6 2-2 8; Brooke Tidswell 3-4
2-4 8; Essien Ford 2-9 0-0 5; Malcolm Thomas 1-12 1-2 4; Wyatt Haas 1-2 0-0
2; Nyere Miller 1-4 0-0 2; Terry Smith 0-1 2-2 2; Ron Michael 1-1 0-0 2.
Totals 23-55 14-19 64.
MORAVIAN COLLEGE (8-16, 3-10 Comm.)
Ryan Miller 6-14 1-2 15; Zach Zsilavecz 4-10 3-4 11; Justin Chestnut 2-4 3-3
8; Eric Whitman 3-5 0-0 8; Michael Clemente 2-8 0-0 6; Matt Devlin 2-5 0-0
4; Joe Depasquale 1-1 0-0 3; Ed Reid 0-4 2-2 2; Chris Earley 1-4 0-0 2; Mark
Franzyshen 0-1 1-2 1; Greg Jones 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-57 10-13 60.
Widener University............   22   42  -   64
Moravian College..............   28   32  -   60
3-point goals-Widener University 4-12 (Brandon Blakey 2-4; Malcolm Thomas
1-4; Essien Ford 1-2; Nyere Miller 0-1; Kris Clarkson 0-1), Moravian College
8-24 (Ryan Miller 2-5; Eric Whitman 2-4; Michael Clemente 2-6; Justin
Chestnut 1-1; Joe Depasquale 1-1; Chris Earley 0-2; Ed Reid 0-1; Matt Devlin
0-1; Zach Zsilavecz 0-3). Fouled out--Widener University-None, Moravian
College-Zach Zsilavecz. Rebounds-Widener University 31 (Kris Clarkson 9),
Moravian College 41 (Eric Whitman 9). Assists-Widener University 14 (Brandon
Blakey 6), Moravian College 13 (Justin Chestnut 4). Total fouls-Widener
University 15, Moravian College 20. A-149