BOX SCORE

Grantham, Pa. (Jan. 16, 2010) - Messiah College (9-5, 2-3) shot a torrid 90 percent from the free throw line and better than 40 percent form the 3-point arc in a 71-60 win over Alvernia University (11-4, 3-2) Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Conference men's basketball action at Messiah.

The Crusaders, who shot just 57 percent from the line and 22 percent from the arc, added to their recipe for disaster when leading scorer Nick Rivera (Reading, Pa./Holy Name) fouled out in 10 minutes with just four points.  Junior Seth Cornell (Millersville, Pa./Penn Manor) scored a team-best 19 points and Stefan Thompson (Philadelphia, Pa./G.A.M.P.) added 11.

Alvernia did have one hot-shooting streak where it put together a 15-0 run to take a 21-9 lead with 8:55 left in the first half.  The run was capped by back-to-back 3s from Thompson and sophomore Tad Gillis (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby).  The only problem was it was the only time both connected from long range.  Thompson finished the game 1-for-7 from the arc and the Crusaders were 4-of-18 from the team.

The Crusaders were able to keep Messiah at bay holding to an 11-point lead, 27-16 on a Gillis layup with under four minutes left in the half, but the Falcons got hot finishing the half hitting three 3s and four free throws in a 13-3 run the cut the Alvernia lead to one at the break.  The Falcons only miss in the last four minutes of the half was a layup at the horn that would have given them the lead at the break.

Messiah built a four-point lead early in the second half, but Rivera, who came in averaging better than 17 points per game, scored four straight--his only four of the day--to knot the score at 40-40.  Messiah's Josh Hartman hit one of his five 3s and Rivera picked up his fourth foul while the Falcons pushed their lead to seven points, 47-40.

Rivera returned after the Crusaders scored five straight points to pull within two points, but he fouled out almost immediately.

Alvernia pulled within one point, 51-50 on a Cornell three-point play with 5:58 left in the game, but Messiah pushed it back to eight over the next two minutes and had it to 11 in the final minute.

Hartman led the Falcons with 17 points.

Alvernia travels to Widener on Wednesday for a women's and men's doubleheader.

Messiah 71, Alvernia 60