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Reading, Pa. (Dec. 4, 2013) - Sophomore guard Charles Cooper (Parkesburg, Pa./Octorara) stole an inbounds pass in a tie game with 30 seconds left and drew a foul then hit one out of two free throws to give Alvernia University (4-2, 1-1) a 67-66 win over Lycoming College (4-2, 1-1) Wednesday evening in Commonwealth Conference men's basketball action at Jack McCloskey Court.

"We stole that one," said Alvernia head coach Mike Miller after the game.

They did it both literally and figuratively with Cooper's free throw giving the Crusaders their first and only lead of the game with 25 seconds left.

"We saw they were having trouble from the sideline," said Miller of the final play.  "We had Kirby [Turner] pressure the ball so he couldn't see the guy going back court.  Chuck just missed the one before and if that was their last option I knew he was going to get it."

Cooper picked off the pass in the backcourt right in front of the home bench and headed straight for the hoop where he was fouled on the way up.  His first, adreneline-charged free throw hit the back iron, but the second one was all net. 

Lycoming had plenty of time to get a final look, and sophomore William Wingate ended up with the ball on the right wing facing Alvernia's defensive replacement, Kirby Turner (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) with 10 seconds to play.  Wingate was able to penetrate into the lane, but his floater was off the mark.  Alvernia senior Brian Parker (Chichester, Pa./Chichester) secured his 10th rebound of the game--and third straight double-double--and heaved the ball into the backcourt to run out the clock.

Parker finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, Chris Davis (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) willed his way to score 16 after an 0-for-8 run in the first half, Lamont Clark (Parkesburg, Pa./Octorara) had 12 and Cooper finished with 11.

Alvernia nearly shot itself out of the game in the first half hitting just nine shots on 33 attempts including 3-for-19 from behind the arc as the Warriors were defensive content to sag off Davis while playing a box-and-one defense on senior Kahlil Bennett (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge).

"It's like I said to them before," said MIller of the Warriors' defensive strategy to open the game.  "We saw Stevenson do some things defensively that they've never done before and [Lycoming] came out in a box-and-one which they've never done before.  That's what you gotta be ready for as a defending champion."

Alvernia misfired on each of its first three possessions then broke through on a baseline move from Parker.  It stayed within two points on a tip-in from Clark, but then scored just two move over a five-minute stretch while the Warriors built a 13-point lead, 22-9 with 10:24 left in the first half.

The Crusaders missed their first 12 3-point attempts before Miller went down the bench for junior reserve Steve Schneider (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks South) who hit a 3 with 5:52 left in the half to keep the hosts within eight, 26-18.  He hit a second 3 of the half three mintues later again to stay within eight, but the Warriors closed the half with nine of the last 14 points for a 38-26 lead at the break.

"We needed him," said Miller of Schneider.  An understatement to be sure of his leader scorer at halftime who played just seven minutes.

Davis missed his first 3 of the second half on the opening possession and Lycoming center Michael Rudy made it look like it would be their day to avenge last season's championship loss with a 3 from the elbow for a 41-26 lead, the largest of the night.  Davis continued to fire and finally saw a 3 drop after taking a high hop off the front rim at the 18:58 mark of the second half.

"He's a true senior, captain, leader," said Miller of his floor general.  "We've been through too many wars over four years for me to get on him at halftime about shooting 0-for-8.  I just said, 'Keep taking them and do what you gotta do.'"

Kevin Anthony scored on a post move the next time down for the Warriors, but after a small scoreless streak, Harrison Deyo (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville) scored on a layup then a dunk and a Parker free throw cut the gap gack to single digits with 16:01 to play.

Davis hit two more 3s--he ended the night with four 3s--during a two minute spurt that cut the gap down to four points, 47-43 with 14:08 to go.  Four minutes later a 3 from Cooper and a layup from Clark pulled Alvernia to within one, 51-52, but it couldn't get over the final hump.  Lycoming kept pressing the lead back out, going up six points, 62-56 on a Wingate layup wiht 3:44 on the clock.

Cooper hit a huge 3 from the corner to cut that deficit in half then another layup from Clark pulled Alvernia back within one, but Lycoming answere with four straight.  Cooper was off the mark on another 3 from in front of the Crusaders' bench but was fouled by Wingate.  He made all three from the line then after a missed 3 from the Warriors, a dunk from Parker on a feed from Davis with 38 seconds left forged the first tie of the game since it was locked at 4-all very early on.

Lycoming called timeout at halfcourt on its next possession to set up the inbound play that was eventually stolen by Cooper.

The Warriors also put four players in double figures led by Rudy and Wingate who had 15 apiece.  Justin Miller had 13 points and Anthony finished with 10.

Alvernia gets two days to prepare for crosstown rival Albright which visits the PEC for a women's and men's doubleheader Saturday at 1:00 and 3:00.

Alvernia 67, Lycoming 66