Grantham, Pa. (Jan. 3, 2015) - Alvernia University starters scored all 78 points as the Crusaders (5-5, 1-2) rolled to a 78-64 win over Messiah College (7-5, 0-4) Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Conference men's basketball action at Brubaker Gymnasium.

Alvernia senior Lamont Clark scored a game-high 21 points to go with seven rebounds.  Mike Miller added 20 points.

Messiah scored the first six points of the game and held the lead until Clark scored on a fastbreak layup with 4:43 left in the first half for a 26-25 Alvernia lead.

The Crusaders scored six straight from there for a 32-25 lead and settled for a 36-32 lead at the break.

Alvernia put together a pair of runs in the start of the second half, the second one a 12-3 spurt capped by a 3 from Charles Cooper that had the Crusaders up 17 points, 62-45 with nine minutes left to play.

The lead hit 20 points on a Miller layup with four minutes left to play and Alvernia kept a comfortable lead the rest of the way.

Harrison Deyo had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Cooper hit 5-of-9 from the arc and finished with 17.  Thomas Rymal played four minutes off the bench for the Crusaders.

Alvernia returns home to host Hood College on Wednesday.

Alvernia 78, Messiah 64