Grantham, Pa. (Dec. 12, 2015) - Alvernia University (5-3, 1-1) faced a 12-point deficit with 6:44 to go, took the lead with a 19-4 run, and held on for a 61-58 win over Messiah College (3-6, 0-3) Saturday afternoon in MAC Commonwealth men's basketball action at Brubaker Gymnasium.
The Falcons looked to establish control using a 17-4 run over a six-minute span to take a 46-34 lead on a jumper from Garret McHenry at the 6:44 mark.
Mike Miller scored for the Crusaders to stem the tide, but after an even exchange of points, Messiah still held a 48-38 lead with 5:35 to play.
Freshman
Anthony Hedgepeth subbed in for Alvernia and scored sparking a streak of seven straight for the Crusaders. Messiah missed its only attempt from the floor and committed two turnovers to help the Crusaders cut the gap.
George Sapp knocked down a huge 3 assisted by Miller to pull within one, 49-48, and Hedgepeth canned another triple to give Alverni a 51-50 lead with 2:50 to go. The Crusaders hit 5-of-17 from the arc. Sapp and Hedgepeth hit their only ones on successive possessions.
The Crusaders expanded their lead to five points, 57-52 with
Charles Cooper hitting four free throws and Hedgepeth scoring on a layup. Cooper hit 13-of-13 from the free throw line--one shy of the Alvernia record for free throws made in a game without a miss held by hall of famer Daimen Hunter who hit all 14 he took in a win over Goucher.
Cooper hit two more from the line with 23 seconds to go and after a Messiah turnover, Miller had a chance to ice it, but missed twice from the line with 18 ticks left. Messiah pushed for a quick bucket and fouled Sapp with eight seconds left in a three-point game. Sapp missed both of his attempts and Messiah had a great look to tie, but Micah Brown's 3 from the corner was off the mark, and the Crusaders held on for a 61-58 win.
Miller finished with 16 points and Cooper added 15. Hedgepeth hit 3-for-4 from the floor and scored seven points in eight minutes. Messiah got a team-high 15 points from Matt Hess off the bench.
Alvernia continues the conference schedule on Monday, December 21 hosting Lebanon Valley College for a single game at 7:00 p.m.
Alvernia 61, Messiah 58
