BOX SCORE Grantham, Pa. (Jan. 11, 2014) - The #20 Messiah College Falcons (12-0, 6-0) shot 56 percent from the floor and knocked down 26 free throws in an 89-78 win over Alvernia University (8-5, 3-3) Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Conference men's basketball action at Brubaker Auditorium.
Alvernia trailed by as many as 11 points in the early going, but turned it around to take a 37-31 lead with 5:13 left in the first half following a dunk from
Brian Parker (Chichester, Pa./Chichester). Messiah responded with 16 of the next 22 to take a 4-point lead with a minute to play. The Falcons hit a pair of 3s in their run and went 5-for-9 from the arc in the first half.
Chris Davis (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) hit a 3 to pull the Crusaders within one and a Zac Hoy free throw sent the Falcons to the break with a 48-46 lead. Davis led the Crusaders with 18 points through the first 20 minutes and Parker added 12 going 4-for-4 from the floor.
Parker opened the second half with a bucket to tie the game and the gap remained just one possession until Messiah broke a 56-all tie with 15 straight points. The Falcons went 8-for-8 from the free throw line and capped the run with a Hoy 3 with 10:26 to play.
The lead remained double figures the rest of the way.
Davis led the way for the Crusaders with 20 points. Parker finished with 16,
Lamont Clark (Parkesburg, Pa./Octorara) had 14 and Chuck Cooper (Parkesburg, Pa./Octorara). Messiah got 77 of its 89 points from the starting lineup led by 23 from Brad Bolen.
The Crusaders return home for a pair of conference games next week, Wednesday vs. Widener and Saturday vs. Elizabethtown.
#20 Messiah 89, Alvernia 78
