Glenside, Pa. (Feb. 11, 2017) - Sophomore George Williams scored a career-high 36 points to lead Alvernia University (14-9, 8-6) to a 96-84 win over Arcadia University (9-14, 4-10) Saturday afternoon in MAC Commonwealth men's basketball action at Alumni Gymnasium.

The Crusaders shot 60 percent from the floor including 50 percent from the 3-point arc and never trailed.  Williams was 13-of-15 from the floor and 7-of-9 from the free throw line.  Senior Marquis Marshall was 9-for-12 from the floor and 6-for-8 from the line adding 24 points.

Williams knotched the third 30-point game of the year for the Crusaders and scored the most in a game since Charles Swiggett scored 38 against Kean on December 15, 2010.

Lycoming knocked of Albright on Saturday moving within a win--or one LVC loss--of clinching the top seed in the postseason.  Albright falls a half game behind LVC--who plays at Messiah Saturday evening.  Widener remains in a tie for fourth place with Alvernia after defeating Hood on Saturday.

Alvernia opened the game with a free throw from Mike Miller, Jr. after Arcadia was hit with an administrative technical foul for not having the official book ready in time for pregame.  The Crusaders led 14-12 at the 14:07 mark of the first half and put together a 16-3 run to open up a 30-15 lead with 10:05 still left in the half.

The lead hit 18 points, 44-26 with over four minutes to play in the first half, but the Crusaders managed just four more points the rest of the half while Arcadia trimmed the lead down to 11 points by halftime, 48-37.

The Knights scored the first five points of the second half to pull within six points and eventually cut the gap down to four points, 58-54.  Arcadia fell into a zone defense for much of the middle portion of the second half and the Crusaders responded going 3-for-4 from the 3-point line during a 14-5 run that push the lead back up to 13 points, 72-59.

Arcadia had one more run late in the second half hitting the Crusaders with a 9-2 spurt over a two minute span that cut the gap back to five points, but it got not close the rest of the way.  Williams knocked down a 3 and scored on a fastbreak layup to give Alvernia a 91-80 lead with 90 seconds left.

The Crusaders are back on the road Tuesday looking to avenge an earlier loss to Stevenson then wrap up the regular season with a big game against Widener next Saturday.  The MAC Commonwealth Championships tip on on Monday, Feb. 20, with a 4/5 game.

Alvernia 96, Arcadia 84