WILLIAMSPORT (PA) – Delaware Valley University's second-half comeback fell just short as the Aggies dropped a 65-63 decision to host Lycoming College in the championship game of the Louis Fleming Basinger Memorial Tournament.
The Warriors won their ninth game in a row and improved to 12-1 for just the second time in school history. DelVal saw its overall record slip to 5-6. The defending Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom champions will have 14 league games the rest of the way, starting with a home match-up against King's College on Wednesday, January 4.
Lycoming led by as many as 13 in the first half and took a 36-29 advantage into the intermission. The Warriors then opened the second stanza with six straight points to get its lead back to 13. The Aggies responded with an 8-0 run on buckets by Andre' Butler, Alex Matsinye, Tyrea Williams and Tyliek Kimbrough to make it a 42-37 contest.
The Warriors bumped their advantage back to double digits before DelVal got back to within six, 50-44, after Kimbrough hit one of two free throws with 9:37 remaining. Lycoming countered with six straight over the next three minutes for a 12-point lead.
It was still a nine-point ballgame, 58-49, with 4:20 to go when DelVal made its final push. First Kimbrough drove inside for a layup and Matsinye followed with a 3-pointer. After Lycoming's Chris Wallace sank a free throw, Williams was fouled and he hit two from the line for a 59-56 score with 1:41 to go. After a defensive stop, Kimbrough nailed a jumper and it was one-point contest.
Alex Newbold grabbed two key offensive rebounds for the Warriors on their next possession and was fouled on the second. He hit a pair of free throws to make it 61-58. Butler missed a jumper at the other end and Newbold was fouled with 25 ticks left. He hit one of two, but Matsinye drove into the lane at the other end and drew contact with 18 seconds left. The sophomore swisher both free throws for a 62-60 score. The Aggies' fouled Willie Kee and he calmly hit a pair to make it a two-possession game. DelVal turned the ball over on its next possession and the Warriors added a free throw before a long Kimbrough trey at the buzzer made it 65-63.
Neither team shot better than 35 percent from the field and they each grabbed 46 rebounds. The Aggies did block eight shots with Williams credited with six of the rejections. Kimbrough was named to the all-tournament team and he finished the title game with 26 points on 9-for-14 shooting from the field (3-for-6 from 3-point land). He also had five rebounds and five assists. Matsinye added 12 points while Williams had 11 points, 12 rebounds and four assists to go along with the six blocks. Butler scored seven points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds.
Newbold was named the tournament Most Valuable Player as he led a balanced Lycoming attack on Thursday with 12 points and 13 rebounds. David Johnson and Nyk King added 10 points apiece.