Matt Effler added 20 points and eight rebounds as the Crusaders (5-10 overall, 1-3 Commonwealth) overcame 29 turnovers by hitting 8-of-16 shots from three-point range to snap an 18-game losing streak in Commonwealth Conference action since an 86-72 win at Juniata on Feb. 17, 2004.
Ed Reid led the Greyhounds (5-10 overall, 0-4 Commonwealth) with 18 points, but Moravian shot 35.3 percent from the field (24-for-68) for the game and committed 22 turnovers to drop its ninth consecutive conference game dating to last season.
Lauer went 7-for-11 from the field, 4-for-8 from three-point range and 3-for-4 from the line to surpass his previous high of 18 points set on Dec. 7 against Penn College, while Effler went 9-for-14 from the field and hit the game-clinching free throws with 5.1 seconds left.
Moravian trailed 74-64 after two foul shots by Lauer with 33 seconds left, but a layup by Chris Earley with 22.2 seconds to play and three foul shots from Ryan Miller trimmed the Greyhound deficit to 74-69 with 20 seconds left.
Earley then hit a three-pointer with 7.4 seconds left following a turnover to cut the Crusader lead to 74-72, but Sean Ulichny was intentionally fouled on a breakaway layup attempt with 6.3 seconds remaining and hit both free throws to give Susquehanna a four-point lead at 76-72.
Effler added two more foul shots with 5.1 seconds left to extend the Crusader lead to 78-72, and Brad Okonak stole the inbounds pass and ran out the clock to clinch the win.
The Crusaders led by as many as 17 points in the opening half and held a 42-32 advantage at intermission as Lauer led Susquehanna with 12 points while Reid led all players with 15 points, including the final seven of the half.
Susquehanna took its largest lead of the game at 67-49 on two foul shots by Chad Cohle with 4:55 remaining, but the Greyhounds went on a 15-4 run to pull within 71-64 on a layup by Miller with 1:46 remaining.
Two foul shots by Okonak and one by Lauer extended the Crusader lead to 74-64 before the Greyhounds mounted their late charge.
Off the bench, Zac Smith drained three three-pointers in five attempts and finished with nine points along with four steals for the Crusaders, while Earley posted 11 points and seven boards to lead Greyhound subs.
Cohle made his third straight start at the point for the Crusaders and finished with six points – all from the foul line – along with six assists and five steals in 28 minutes of action.
Okonak matched his season and career high with a game-high 10 rebounds for the Crusaders, who finished with a 39-37 edge on the boards over the Greyhounds.
SUSQUEHANNA (5-10, 1-3 Comm.) Chad Lauer 7-11 3-4 21; Matt Effler 9-14 2-5 20; Zac Smith 3-7 0-2 9; Brad Okonak 2-6 4-5 8; Chad Cohle 0-0 6-6 6; Mike Cavallo 2-5 0-0 4; Sean Ulichny 1-3 2-3 4; Andy Gaebel 1-1 0-0 3; Joel Patch 1-1 1-2 3; Matt McDevitt 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 26-50 18-27 78. MORAVIAN (5-10, 0-4 Comm.) Ed Reid 7-12 1-4 18; Chris Earley 3-6 4-4 11; Ryan Miller 3-7 3-3 10; Matt Devlin 4-11 1-1 9; Eric Whitman 2-5 2-2 7; Zach Zsilavecz 2-7 3-4 7; Mark Franzyshen 1-5 2-2 4; Michael Clemente 1-6 0-0 3; Joe Depasquale 1-3 0-0 3; Steve Buynovsky 0-1 0-0 0; Justin Chestnut 0-5 0-0 0. Totals 24-68 16-20 72. Susquehanna................... 42 36 - 78 Moravian...................... 32 40 - 72 3-point goals-Susquehanna 8-16 (Chad Lauer 4-8; Zac Smith 3-5; Andy Gaebel 1-1; Matt McDevitt 0-1; Brad Okonak 0-1), Moravian 8-25 (Ed Reid 3-5; Ryan Miller 1-4; Eric Whitman 1-3; Joe Depasquale 1-2; Michael Clemente 1-4; Chris Earley 1-2; Justin Chestnut 0-1; Mark Franzyshen 0-1; Zach Zsilavecz 0-2; Matt Devlin 0-1). Fouled out--Susquehanna-None, Moravian-Zach Zsilavecz. Rebounds-Susquehanna 39 (Brad Okonak 10), Moravian 37 (Chris Earley 7). Assists-Susquehanna 18 (Chad Cohle 6), Moravian 15 (Justin Chestnut 6). Total fouls-Susquehanna 18, Moravian 20. A-175