Reading, Pa. (Jan. 21, 2015) - "Defense, defense, defense," repeated Alvernia University Head Coach Mike Miller.

It's a mantra he's used frequently including after the Crusaders' (10-6, 5-3) 65-57 win over Albright College (6-10, 2-6) Wednesday evening at Jack McCloskey Court.  But this time the defense needed the timely offense of seniors Lamont Clark and Harrison Deyo to overcome a nine-point, second-half deficit.

The Crusaders trailed 52-43 with 11:45 to play and scored 22 of the final 27.

Deyo scored a pair of buckets in the paint as the Crusaders ran off six straight points, then Clark scored 10 of 14 points for the Crusaders who went from 54-49 down to 63-57 up.

"My teammates stayed confindent in me," said Clark after the game.  "I lost confidence in the first half, but my teammates, Deyo and Kirby [Turner], pulled me aside and told me to stay positive."

Clark scored two points in the first half on 1-for-5 shooting, but did contribute four assists.

The Lions hit 3-of-5 from the arc in the first half and shot 52 percent from the floor to take a 34-33 lead at the break.  Deyo and freshman Mike Miller kept the Crusaders in the game combining for 25 of the team's 33 first-half points.

Albright got three 3s from DeJuan Smith during a span of just over two minutes as they rattled off a 13-2 run to turn a two-point deficit into the nine-point lead with 11:45 to play.

Miller scored 15 points--all in the first half--and Charles Cooper finished with a dozen.  Albright got a team-high 20 points from Smith who finished 4-for-4 from the arc, and 13 from leading scorer Omari Ringgold.

The Crusaders have now won five straight and head to first-place Lycoming (7-1) on Saturday to start the second trip through the league schedule.  The rematch with Albright--at the Bollman Center--looms a month from Wednesday on the final day of the regular season.

Alvernia is in a three-way tie for second place in the Commonwealth with Arcadia and Hood.  Lebanon Valley and Stevenson are a half game back after their game Wednesday was postponed by snow.

The top five teams in the league make the postseason which kicks off with a single quarterfinal game on Monday, Feb. 23.

Alvernia 65, Albright 57