Reading, Pa. (Feb. 24, 2016) – Fifth-seeded Lycoming College (18-9) shot 54 percent from the floor and knocked down seven 3s in a 69-53 win over top-seeded Alvernia University (15-11) Wednesday evening in a semifinal of the MAC Commonwealth Men's Basketball Championships at Jack McCloskey Court.
 
Lycoming freshman T.J. Duckett subbed in with the Warriors facing a 9-4 deficit and just over five minutes off the clock.  He knocked down a 3 immediately then two minutes later buried another one that gave Lycoming a 14-12 lead—a lead it never relinquished.
 
Duckett finished the game 5-for-6 from the arc with a game-high 18 points in 31 minutes.  The Warriors were 7-for-12 from the 3-point line while, by contrast, the Crusaders hit seven in 33 attempts.
 
"We played hard," said Alvernia head coach Mike Miller.  "We just didn't make shots." 
 
Alvernia shot a season-low 28 percent from the floor and had its second lowest percentage from the arc—21 percent.
 
Lycoming put together a 10-2 run late in the first half to open up a 29-20 lead.  Chris Wallace scored five points during the run and Nykolas King hit a 3 midway through.
 
The Crusaders were able to cut that gap down to six points at the half, 34-28, but Duckett hit a 3 in the middle of another 10-2 run early in the second that put Lycoming up 44-30 with 15:34 to play.  The lead maxed at 20 points, 69-49, on Duckett's final 3 of the night, and the Warriors advanced to the Commonwealth Championship on Saturday with the 69-53 victory.
 
Lycoming will travel to face #3 seed Arcadia University which knocked off #2 Lebanon Valley by a 71-67 final in Wednesday's other semifinal.
 
George Sapp led the Crusaders with 14 points and six assists.  Wallace scored 17 and King added a dozen for the Warriors.
 
Alvernia will await a potential ECAC bid which will be announced Monday.
 
#5 Lycoming 69, #1 Alvernia 53