BOX SCORE

Reading, Pa. (Feb. 8, 2012) – Albright College (14-8, 5-6) ran off a pivotal 15-5 run to swing a five-point deficit into a five-point lead with 5:15 to go and got key buckets down the stretch to post a 65-57 win over Alvernia University (15-7, 6-5) Wednesday evening in Commonwealth Conference men's basketball action at the Bollman Center.

"You gotta hand it to them," said Alvernia head coach Mike Miller after the loss.  "They outplayed us."

Alvernia cut the gap down to just two when freshman Lamont Clark (Parkesburg, Pa./Octorara) hit three free throws, but the Lions ran off the last and got a bucket on the break from Kyle Jordan then a huge 3 from Reuel Moore to push the gap to seven with 3:23 to play.

Alvernia chipped it back to five twice but got no closer the rest of the way.

Albright keeps its playoff hopes alive pulling within a game of the fourth-place Crusaders.  The Lions close at Lebanon Valley then home for Arcadia and Widener.  The Crusaders host Elizabethtown and Messiah before finishing at Lycoming next Saturday.  Messiah and Lycoming are 1-2 in the league.  The top four make the postseason.

Neither team held a lead above four points in a low-scoring first half—25-23 Alvernia at the break.

The Crusaders went up five on a Chris Davis (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) 3 to start the second, and took a seven point lead, 34-27 with 15:11 to go after a pair of free throws from Josh Vargas (Allentown, Pa./Faith Christian Academy).

Brian Nerney (Middletown, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) hit a pair of free throws with 11:26 to go for the 40-35 lead before the Albright run.

Clark paced the Crusaders with a career-high 18 points doubling his previous best.  Stefan Thompson (Philadelphia, Pa./G.A.M.P.) reached double figures with a dozen.  Albright put four players in double figures led by Derek Hall who had 16 points to go with 17 rebounds.

Alvernia will host Elizabethtown for senior day on Saturday.

Albright 65, Alvernia 57