BOX SCORE

Reading, Pa. (Feb. 18, 2008) – Junior forward Terrence Shawell (Pottstown, Pa./Pottstown) went over 1,000 career points on a dunk in the first half and Alvernia College cruised to a 68-53 win over Marywood University Monday evening in Pennsylvania Athletic Conference men's basketball action at the Physical Education Center.

Shawell led four players in double figures for the Crusaders with 17 points and became the 20th men's player to reach 1,000 career points. Sophomore guard Zach Westmoreland (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) came within a point of his career high with 16 points. Matt King (Phoenixville, Pa./St. Pius X) recorded his seventh double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and David Washington (Durham, N.C./Northern Durham) added a dozen points on four 3-pointers.

Everyone in the building knew Shawell needed one more point to reach 1,000 and King and Washington took advantage of a somewhat sagging zone by hitting 3s as Alvernia (16-9, 13-3 PAC) jumped out to a 6-2 lead. Alvernia tried to get Shawell to the milestone in grand fashion on two transition alley-oop attempts, but Shawell couldn't convert either.

Marywood (6-18, 0-16 PAC) scored four in a row to knot the score at 6-all, and Shawell got the ball again in transition this time with a few dribbles and slammed home his first bucket of the night to pass 1,000 in just his second season at Alvernia.

Marywood took the lead back with three straight points and Westmoreland's first 3 gave Alvernia a lead it never relinquished. The reserve point guard scored five points during an 11-2 run as the Crusaders built a 22-13 lead with under nine minutes left in the first half.

The Pacers trimmed that down to four points twice, but Alvernia finished the half with eight of the last 11 points to take a 32-23 lead at the break. Marywood freshman Matthew Medici (Princeton Junction, N.J./Notre Dame) scored 12 of his game-high 19 points in the first frame.

Shawell opened the second half with a 3 and after a mini spurt by the Pacers to trim the gap to eight points, 37-29, Alvernia doubled the lead with an 8-0 run and held it in double figures for the remainder of the game.

Marywood placed three players in double figures as Joshua Pena (New York City, N.Y./Health Professions) and Jerome Gosney (Binghamton, N.Y./Seton Catholic Central) joined Medici with 16 and 11 points respectively.

Alvernia finished the game just 3-for-3 from the free throw line. It marks the fewest made free throws since the team went 2-for-6 in a loss to Cal Lutheran on Nov. 22, 2006 in Maui, Hawaii.

The Crusaders position as the top seed in the PAC Championship is the only seeding to be determined with five days left before the opening round. Gwynedd-Mercy, Immaculata, and Misericordia are all assured a playoff spot and are currently tied for second at 10-5 in conference. Cabrini (9-7) is also in the championships by virtue of its 66-63 home win over Eastern (8-7) this evening. The Eagles hold their own destiny with one game remaining at Immaculata on Thursday. They are in with a win or a Neumann (7-8) loss at Centenary on Tuesday. A Neumann win and an Eastern loss puts the Knights in at 8-8.

Alvernia knows it is off until next Tuesday when it will host a semifinal game at 7:00 in the PEC. The Championship game is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 29, at the highest remaining seed.

Alvernia 68, Marywood 53