BOX SCORE
Reading, PA (Feb. 13, 2006) – Senior Chris Talley (Royersford, PA/Spring Ford) scored 16 of his game-high 30 points after the break as Alvernia College defeated Marywood University, 87-64 Monday evening in Pennsylvania Athletic Conference men’s basketball action at the Physical Education Center.
Senior guard Lamar Brickus (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) scored 14 points and handed out a game-high four assists in his return to the court after missing eight games with a knee injury. Senior forward Zach Straining (Paxtang, PA/Central Dauphin East) also reached double figures with 15 points. Senior Tim Smallwood (Greenwich, CT/Greenwich) led the Pacers (4-21, 1-17 PAC) with 20 points, Adam Wildasin (Hanover, PA/Delone Catholic) scored 14, and Prince Blacknall (East Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) added 10.
Alvernia broke the third tie of the night with a pair of free throws from Ryan Finger (Lancaster, PA/Lampeter Strasburg) and ran off seven straight capped by a Mike Brock (Royersford, PA/Spring Ford) 3 that put the Crusaders up 26-19. Brock nailed his second 3 of the half to put Alvernia up eight, 36-28, and a layup by Talley at the horn had the Crusaders up 43-34 at the break.
Brickus finished a 3-point play to open the second half scoring and that gave the hosts their first double figure lead of the night, 46-34. Talley dropped in a layup six minutes later and the Crusader lead was 16 points, 60-44 with 13:33 to play.
Smallwood dropped in two points to answer the Talley layup and Straining capped a quick 7-2 spurt that put Alvernia up 19 points. Marywood slowly trimmed the gap to 12 points at the 5:50 mark, but could get no closer as Alvernia finished off the PAC schedule with 17 wins.
Alvernia will take eight days off before hosting a PAC semifinal next Tuesday with the opponent to be determined.
Talley notched his fourth double-double of the season with 10 rebounds to go with his 30 points. Twice this season an Alvernia player has reached 30 points. Both games belong to Talley who scored a career-high 34 points in a home win over Wesley on December 3. The 6-2 senior now has 967 career points with 844 of those coming in the last two years since his transfer from York (Pa.).
Alvernia 87, Marywood 64
