BOX SCORE

Center Valley, Pa. (Jan. 3, 2012) - Alvernia University (7-3) clamped down on SUNY-Potsdam (4-6) Tuesday evening in opening round action of the Red Robin Holiday Tournament hosted by DeSales University holding its fourth straight opponent under 65 points in a 60-56 victory.  The Bears hit three 3s in the final 30 seconds to make the final score appear closer than the game really was.

Alvernia senior Stefan Thompson (Philadelphia, Pa./G.A.M.P.) went 8-for-8 from the free throw in the final minute and finished with a game-high 21 points leading four players in double figures.  Josh Vargas (Allentown, Pa./Faith Christian) scored a dozen, Cory Boone (Howard, Pa./Bald Eagle) finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season, and Terrance Bridgers (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby) had an impressive stretch of eight straight points in the second half and finished with 10.

The Crusaders broke a 6-all tie with 11-0 run and held an 8-point advantage at the break, 28-20.

Potsdam trimmed the gap to six points with the first bucket of the second half, but Alvernia pushed it up to 16 points (46-30, 10:29) following the eight from Bridgers.  Potsdam scored five straight with under three to play cutting the gap to seven points, 52-45, and Thompson score the final eight for the Crusaders--all from the line--while the Bears connected from deep on alternating possessions.

Alvernia advances to the championhips game of the Red Robin Tournament and will face Berkeley College (NY) at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday.  The Knights knocked off tournament host DeSales, 83-77 in overtime in the first game of the night.

Alvernia is now 3-0 in the DeSales Holiday Tournament.  It defeated DeSales and Carnegie Mellon in 2010 to claim the tournament title.

Alvernia 60, SUNY-Potsdam 56