BOX SCORE

Owings Mill, Md. (Mar. 1, 2014) – Sophomore guard Charles Cooper (Parkesburg, Pa./Ocroata) hit an improbable, off-balance, 15-foot runner with 1.5 seconds left to give second-seeded Alvernia University (20-7) a 70-69 comeback win over top-seeded Stevenson University (19-8) Saturday afternoon in the Commonwealth Conference Men's Basketball Championship Final at Stevenson.

Cooper received an inbounds pass from senior Chris Davis (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) near the 3-point arc on the left side of the floor, made a move into the middle, and with his shoulders more square to mid court than his own basket, threw up a one-handed push from near the elbow that banked through with almost no time left.

"Coach wanted me to go in to be a shooter and spread the floor," said Cooper of the final play.  "Primarily we were going to Parker inside, but I guess they took that away.  Coach said if they can't get it in then go to the ball and go to the rim.  Honestly I threw up a shot and all prayers have been answered."

Stevenson called timeout to set up its own prayer, but Alvernia senior and Championship MVP Brian Parker (Chichester, Pa./Chichester) intercepted a three-quarter court pass intended for Erik Fisher and the Crusaders celebrated their third conference title in the last four years.

Alvernia is 6-0 in Commonwealth Conference tournament games since joining the league for the 2009-10 season, picking up its first win on the road after five straight—and two titles—at home.  The Crusaders are back-to-back conference champions and Parker earned his second straight Championship MVP.  The 6-4 senior and Commonwealth Player of the Year finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

Parker scored 15 of his 21 on 6-of-6 shooting in the second half as the Crusaders came back from a 17-point deficit with under 17 minutes to play and made up a 7-point gap with under a minute to play.

The Crusaders faced a 69-62 deficit with 1:05 to go after Stevenson freshman Darius Walker hit a pair of free throws.  Junior guard Lamont Clark (Parkesburg, Pa./Octorara), more known for slashing to the hoop, knocked down a 3 from the right elbow—just his sixth 3 of the season.

Stevenson missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Alvernia senior Kahlil Bennett (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge) hit two free throws to bring the Crusaders within two with 34 seconds to play.

Alvernia played for a steal on the inbounds and Stevenson was able to get the ball to Fisher in the front court where Parker was forced to give the foul with 24 seconds left.  The Mustangs, who went 13-for-13 from the stripe of the game's first 39-plus minutes missed both ends of the double bonus when Fisher was off the mark twice.

Alfonzo Hawkins hung on the arm of Harrison Deyo (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville) on the rebound of the second miss, and Deyo split two free throws on the other end pulling Alvernia within one, 69-68 with 23 seconds left.

Again the Crusaders played for the steal early and were able to get the turnover on a jump ball call right in front of their team bench.

Coach Miller called a timeout with 4.5 seconds left when Parker, a back-to-the-basket post player, ended up with the ball outside the arc.  Stevenson elected to take a timeout of its own after seeing the Crusaders' setup.

Inbounding from the left side of the baseline, Alvernia looked first to Parker on the inside, but the Mustangs took that look away.  Cooper was able to flash back to the ball from the top of the arc, and took a pair of left-handed dribbles before his prayer was answered.

It was Cooper's only bucket of the game.

Four of the five starters reached double figures for the Crusaders.  Bennett scored 15 points hitting 3-of-9 from the 3-point arc, Davis finished with 12 points, and Clark totaled 11.  Stevenson was led by Walker who finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds.

Alvernia got itself into foul trouble early with Parker picking up his second foul of the game with 13 minutes still left in the first half.  With just under 10 minutes left on the first-half clock, Deyo picked up two fouls in 30 seconds.

Instead of taking Deyo out, the Crusaders came back with the starting five, inserting Parker for reserve Kirby Turner (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) putting two players on the floor with two fouls and only facing a 3-point deficit, 15-12.

Stevenson pushed it to six points on a 3 from Walker then with under four minutes left in the first Deyo was whistled for his third foul on a 3-point attempt by Colby Giacubeno.  Giacubeno hit all three free throws with Deyo taking a seat until halftime.

Alvernia stayed within shouting distance when Parker knocked down a pair of free throws with 1:39 on the clock for a 30-23 score, but Stevenson scored the last five points of the half to take a 35-23 lead at the break.

Walker and Deyo exchanged layups to open up the second half then Walker knocked down a 3 to put Stevenson up 15 points, 40-25.  The lead hit 17 points, 45-28, on a 3 from Hawkins with 17:02 to play.

Davis answered with a 3 and three minutes later Parker had a steal and a layup to pull the Crusaders within eight points, 49-41.

The lead was down to five points after two Clark free throws with 9:25 to go, and down to one possession, 55-52 when Bennett hit a jumper from the right baseline.

A Bennett 3 with 2:37 to go had Alvernia within one, 61-60, but Fisher hit a 3 on the next Stevenson possession that started an 8-2 run putting the Mustangs up seven with just over a minute left.

Alvernia receives the Commonwealth Conference automatic bid and will learn its opponent and game location on Monday afternoon.  The NCAA Championships will tip off next Thursday with two play-in games.  There will be 14 4-team pods played Friday and Saturday along with two single games with the winners from Thursday playing two teams with first-round byes.  The 16 winners from Saturday will play the following weekend in four more 4-team pods to determine the Final Four.

The Final Four will be contested in Salem, Virginia, on March 21-22.

#2 Alvernia 70, #1 Stevenson 69