Immaculata, PA (Jan. 4, 2006) – Senior forward Zach Straining (Paxtang, PA/Central Dauphin East) recorded his second straight double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds to lead Alvernia College to a 74-43 win over Immaculata University Wednesday evening in Pennsylvania Athletic Conference men’s basketball action at Immaculata.

            Straining ran his career total to 976 points and could surpass 1,000 for his career this weekend when Alvernia travels to the University of Scranton for a two-day tournament.  The Crusaders will play Curry College in Saturday’s opener.

            Alvernia (6-3, 4-0 PAC) held Immaculata to just 15 first half points and outscored the Mighty Macs 43-28 in the second frame.  Immaculata shot just 21 percent from the floor over the opening 20 minutes and Alvernia senior Ryan Finger (Lancaster, PA/Lampeter Strasburg) held leading scorer Reggie Strickland to just two points on 1-of-6 shooting.

            Alvernia opened the game with a 9-4 lead and ran off 11 straight to push the gap to 21-4.  Straining scored six of his game-high 25 during the stretch, and opened the second half with nine of Alvernia’s first 11 points.  The Crusaders held Immaculata (1-10, 0-4) off the board for the opening five minutes of the second frame as the guests built a 48-15 lead with 15:00 left to play.

            Counting the final seven minutes of the first half, Immaculata was held scoreless for 12:13 as the Crusaders scored 23 points.  The Might Macs four field goals from the 7:09 point of the first half to the 12:51 mark of the second half.  All four field goals were 3-point buckets.

Alvernia 74, Immaculata 43