Gwynedd Valley, Pa. - (11/7/2021) - A relentless defense (15 steals, 3 blocks) and a balanced offense led by graduate guard Keith Otto (Langhorne, Pa.) (15 points) earned Gwynedd Mercy University (2-0) a 71-62 victory over Shenandoah University (0-2) in the final game of this weekend's PurpleStride Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Tip-Off Classic. The Griffins used an early 7-0 (14:15) advantage to stay ahead of the Hornets to a 26-21 halftime spread. A higher-scoring second half saw Gwynedd Mercy University inflate their advantage to as many as 12 points on an early three-point basket from sophomore guard Manny Clark (Pottsgrove, Pa.) (37-25, 15:55). The Hornets managed to rally within a point, 40-39 (10:36) of the Griffins in the latter half of the second period, but the tension was short-lived as senior guards Ty Jones (Harlem, Pa.) and Jaye'Lyn Peebles (Chester, Pa.) captained Gwynedd Mercy University to a 12-point edge for the final nine minutes of the affair. 51-39 (9:05). There, the Griffins kept the Hornets at a comfortable distance en route to the nine-point victory.

Otto added two rebounds, an assist, and three steals to his team-high 15 points. He was one of five Griffins in double figures as Jones (13 points), Clark (12), Peebles (11), and graduate forward Donaven Spencer (Sicklerville, N.J.) (10 points) joined him there. Spencer added a team-high seven rebounds and three assists to his points, while Jones additionally recorded five rebounds, five assists, and a pair of steals. Clark added six rebounds, three assists, a block, and two steals to his dozen points.

Gwynedd Mercy University returns to the Griffin Complex on Thursday, November 11, when they host Alvernia University in a 6:00 p.m. contest.