Dec 17, 2010
BOX SCORE
Reading, Pa. (Dec. 17, 2010) - Alvernia University (6-2) missed its first 13 3-point attempts then hit six of the last 12 to pull off a 65-63 comeback victory over New Jersey City University (3-6) Friday evening in non-conference men's basketball action at the Physical Education Center.
Senior Charles Swiggett (Chester, Pa./Chester), who finished with a game-high 22 points, missed a 3 with 14:50 left in regulation and the Gothic Knights turned the long rebound into a fast break layup and a 19-point lead. Over the last 14:43 Alvernia slowly pieced together a 37-16 finish to overcome the Knights.
Senior Seth Cornell (Millersville, Pa./Penn Manor), one of three Crusaders in double figures with a dozen, hit the first 3 of the night at 13:30, but NJCU answered with a three from Keith Williams. Cornell's second 3 two minutes later cut the gap to 12, and Swiggett hit back-to-back 3s in a 45-second span that cut a 16-point deficit to 10.
He followed with a steal and dunk to cut the gap to eight and junior center Cory Boone (Howard, Pa./Bald Eagle Area) cut it to six with a hoop in the post.
NJCU was able to build that back to nine on a 3-point play from Josh Hosang, but freshman reserve Will Harmon (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) answered with a 3 and four free throws for the Crusaders pulled the hosts within two, 61-59 with 3:41 to play.
An even exchange left the Crusaders down two with 2:13 to play. NJCU aided the comeback by missing the front end of a 1-and-1 twice and blew a layup before Swiggett rose up from the top of the arc and burried the go-ahead 3 with 47 seconds to play. The Knights missed a contested layup on their next possession and sent Cornell to the line with eight seconds to play and a one-point lead.
The senior erased recent memories of a pair of missed free throws in the same sitation just 48 hours earlier with a 1-for-2 effort and Williams drew iron on a potential winner from 24 feet.
"First of all, that's a heck of a comeback," said Alvernia head coach Mike Miller. "What I'm most please with is that this team just never quit. We had chances to, but we just kept going."
The Crusaders held a 17-12 lead with just under 10 minutes to go in the first half. They gave that up on a 9-0 run and hit the break trailing by 12 points, 32-20.
Miller went with two changes at halftime looking for someone to step up.
"We got sparks from different guys tonight," he said. "Will Harmon gave us a nice spark off the bench."
Harmon finished with five points, hit one of the Crusaders' six second-half 3s, and came up with a crucial steal in the later minutes.
"Overall we battled," finished Miller summing of the win. "We had chances to just quit, but we didn't. That's what I'm most proud of."
The Crusaders have little time to celebrate tonight's win. They head to Westminster, Maryland, on Sunday to play McDaniel before a holiday trip to Phoenix after Christmas.
Sunday will be the Crusaders' first game this season outside the city of Reading. They are 5-2 at home and have a 50-44 win at crosstown rival Albright.
Alvernia 65, NJCU 63
Reading, Pa. (Dec. 17, 2010) - Alvernia University (6-2) missed its first 13 3-point attempts then hit six of the last 12 to pull off a 65-63 comeback victory over New Jersey City University (3-6) Friday evening in non-conference men's basketball action at the Physical Education Center.
Senior Charles Swiggett (Chester, Pa./Chester), who finished with a game-high 22 points, missed a 3 with 14:50 left in regulation and the Gothic Knights turned the long rebound into a fast break layup and a 19-point lead. Over the last 14:43 Alvernia slowly pieced together a 37-16 finish to overcome the Knights.
Senior Seth Cornell (Millersville, Pa./Penn Manor), one of three Crusaders in double figures with a dozen, hit the first 3 of the night at 13:30, but NJCU answered with a three from Keith Williams. Cornell's second 3 two minutes later cut the gap to 12, and Swiggett hit back-to-back 3s in a 45-second span that cut a 16-point deficit to 10.
He followed with a steal and dunk to cut the gap to eight and junior center Cory Boone (Howard, Pa./Bald Eagle Area) cut it to six with a hoop in the post.
NJCU was able to build that back to nine on a 3-point play from Josh Hosang, but freshman reserve Will Harmon (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) answered with a 3 and four free throws for the Crusaders pulled the hosts within two, 61-59 with 3:41 to play.
An even exchange left the Crusaders down two with 2:13 to play. NJCU aided the comeback by missing the front end of a 1-and-1 twice and blew a layup before Swiggett rose up from the top of the arc and burried the go-ahead 3 with 47 seconds to play. The Knights missed a contested layup on their next possession and sent Cornell to the line with eight seconds to play and a one-point lead.
The senior erased recent memories of a pair of missed free throws in the same sitation just 48 hours earlier with a 1-for-2 effort and Williams drew iron on a potential winner from 24 feet.
"First of all, that's a heck of a comeback," said Alvernia head coach Mike Miller. "What I'm most please with is that this team just never quit. We had chances to, but we just kept going."
The Crusaders held a 17-12 lead with just under 10 minutes to go in the first half. They gave that up on a 9-0 run and hit the break trailing by 12 points, 32-20.
Miller went with two changes at halftime looking for someone to step up.
"We got sparks from different guys tonight," he said. "Will Harmon gave us a nice spark off the bench."
Harmon finished with five points, hit one of the Crusaders' six second-half 3s, and came up with a crucial steal in the later minutes.
"Overall we battled," finished Miller summing of the win. "We had chances to just quit, but we didn't. That's what I'm most proud of."
The Crusaders have little time to celebrate tonight's win. They head to Westminster, Maryland, on Sunday to play McDaniel before a holiday trip to Phoenix after Christmas.
Sunday will be the Crusaders' first game this season outside the city of Reading. They are 5-2 at home and have a 50-44 win at crosstown rival Albright.
Alvernia 65, NJCU 63