News Release

READING, Pa. — Senior forward Zach Straining, below (Paxtang, PA/Central Dauphin East) scored 16 of his game-high 23 points in the first half as Alvernia College overcame an early 10-point deficit to knock off Cabrini College, 89-65 in Pennsylvania Athletic Conference men’s basketball action Wednesday evening at the Physical Education Center.

http://athletics.alvernia.edu//images/mbball/2005/12/17/d3zach_straining.jpg " align=left width=200 height=280 border=1> Senior guard Lamar Brickus (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) forged a pair of ties with under four minutes left in the opening half and Straining nailed his second 3 in as many attempts on a 9-0 Alvernia run that helped the Crusaders (12-3, 8-0 PAC) to a six point halftime lead. Cabrini cut the lead to two early in the second half, but Straining scored four straight points to start a 10-0 Crusader run that put the game away.

Brickus, Chris Talley (Royersford, PA/Spring Ford), and Garrett Etzel (Shillington, PA/Governor Mifflin) pitched in with 15 points apiece for the Crusaders, while the Cavaliers (6-9, 3-5) were led by Anthony Bennett (Philadelphia, PA/Monsignor Bonner) who scored 13 points to go with 12 rebounds.

Cabrini came out shooting led by junior forward Jim McMahon (Havertown, PA/Haverford) who scored seven of his 11 points as the visitors opened up an early 14-4 lead. Straining scored all four points for the Crusaders and the Cavs hit six of their first eight shots over the opening five minutes.

Straining scored five straight as the Crusaders ran off nine in a row to cut the gap to one with 7:30 gone. Cabrini sophomore Jeff Dailey (Easton, PA/Notre Dame) nailed two of his three 3s during a 9-0 spurt that pushed the visitors’ lead back to nine, 26-17 with 8:32 left in the first half. Alvernia senior Mike Brock (Royersford, PA/Spring Ford) answered the second 3 to trim the lead to six, and following an Etzel 3 at the 4:24 mark, the lead was down to one, 30-29.

Brickus tied the score on a free throw and hit the second to give Alvernia its first lead of the night, 31-30 with 3:32 left in the opening frame. Cabrini answered with a 3, its fifth of the half, on the next possession, but Brickus came back with a jumper to knot the score at 33-all. Alvernia freshman Sharron Richardson (Chester, PA/Chester) dropped in a layup at the 2:02 mark and Straining’s 3 at 1:21 pushed the gap to five. Alvernia forced a turnover from Bennett as the Cavaliers came up empty on their fourth straight possession and Talley hit a pair from the line to put Alvernia up seven, 40-33.

Bennett answered with a free throw and McMahon cut the lead four before Brickus nailed a jumper with three ticks left in the first half to give Alvernia a 42-36 lead at the break.

Bennett opened the second half with a layup and Talley, who suffered through a 1-for-11 start, answered for the Crusaders. Brickus pushed the lead to eight with two free throws, but Cabrini scored six straight to pull within two, 46-44. Straining dropped in a layup and a pair of free throws to start a 10-0 Alvernia run that gave the hosts a lead that was never threatened. Etzel hit his second of three 3s during the run and Brickus capped it with a layup. Cabrini turned the ball over on successive possessions to help start the streak and missed four straight shots from the floor including three on one possession.

Alvernia’s second half lead grew to as many as 25 on a Tyrone Bradley (Chester, PA/Chester) layup with Dailey supplying the final point from the free throw line with 16 seconds left.

Alvernia will continue the PAC schedule with a trip to Neumann College on Saturday.

Alvernia 89, Cabrini 65
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