BOX SCORE

Dallas, Pa. (Jan. 21, 2008) – Alvernia College shot over the zone hitting the first five 3s it attempted and Terrence Shawell (Pottstown, Pa./Pottstown) and Matt King (Phoenixville, Pa./St. Pius X) scored 19 and 18 respectively to lead the Crusaders to a 65-57 win over Misericordia University Monday evening in Pennsylvania Athletic Conference men's basketball action at the Anderson Center.

King nailed his fourth 3 of the game with under three minutes left to push a two-point lead to five and the Cougars (10-5, 4-2 PAC) were scoreless from the floor in the final four minutes. Alvernia (8-7, 5-1 PAC) junior David Washington (Durham, N.C./Northern Durham) also reached double figures with 11 and handed out seven assists, his third straight game with at least as many.

Misericordia kept pace with Alvernia during the early going by hitting six of its first seven shots from the floor. Senior Matt Hornak (Montrose, Pa./Montrose Area), who finished with a team-high 17 points, hit his first of two 3s to knot the score at 15-all at 14:32.

The Cougars shot a sizzling 56 percent from the floor in the first half and held a lead as large as six points, 32-26, at the 3:39 mark. Alvernia guard Zach Westmoreland (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) was the only player to score over the next 2½ minutes. He went 5-for-5 from the free throw stripe to cut the MU lead to one point, 32-31.

Misericoridia sophomore Dom Del Prete (Clark's Summit, Pa./Abington Heights), who finished with 13, scored the final bucket of the half and the Cougars took a 34-31 lead into the break. After hitting its first five 3s Alvernia cooled off considerably finishing the half shooting 35 percent from the floor, but it did hit all seven free throws to remain close.

Shawell tied the score quickly in the second half with a 3 and after a handful of ties and lead-changes, Alvernia asserted a bit of control with an 11-4 run capped by a King 3 that put the guests up seven, 58-51, with 6:26 to go.

Alvernia got a bit sloppy over the next two minutes with three fouls, two turnovers, and misses on the only two shots it got while the Cougars made three free throws and a layup to cut the gap to two, 58-56, with 4:04 to play.

Then it was the hosts who went cold missing each one of their last seven shots from the floor and getting just one point on a Vinnie Baumunk (Dushore, Pa./Sullivan County) free throw. King's 3 at 2:49 made it a two-possession game and Shawell hit two free throws to answer the single from Baumunk. Washington then finished the scoring with a pair of free throws on the final possession.

Alvernia finished the day shooting 40 percent from the floor and a season-best 93 percent (14-for-15) from the free throw line. The Crusaders will return home to host Cabrini College in a women's and men's doubleheader Saturday afternoon at 1:00 and 3:00. Both games will be webcast live through the Alvernia College website http://athletics.alvernia.edu.

Alvernia 65, Misericordia 57