Reading, Pa. (Feb. 10, 2018) - Alvernia University (11-12, 6-8) held on for a 61-58 win over Arcadia University (13-10, 8-6) Saturday afternoon in MAC Commonwealth men's basketball action at Jack McCloskey Court.

Senior Alex Shippen scored five points and had a pair of steals in a 13-2 run for the hosts who didn't score for the final 4:14 of the game but had just enough to win.  Alvernia led 59-50 after the run ended with a Mike Miller, Jr. jumper with just over five minutes to play.

Miller hit a pair of free throws with 4:14 to go that had Alvernia up 61-52, but the Golden Wolves went 0-for-3 from the floor with three turnovers and missed a free throw down the stretch.

Arcadia had two chances to tie the game in the final 25 seconds, but a 3-point attempt from Jordan Sanders and a long jumper from Phil Pierfy were both off the mark.

"Our defense won the game," said Alvernia head coach Mike Miller.

Arcadia came into the game averaging over 75 points per game and was held under 60 points for just the second time this season.  The Knights were 1-for-7 from the floor in the final three-plus minutes.

The win for the Golden Wolves keeps them alive in the push for the final postseason spots.

"This was very important," said Miller, Jr., a starting guard for the team.  "I know we have to win out, but I just wanted Tuesday to mean something."

Alvernia played the final eight minutes without a true center on the floor.  Freshman starter Kyle Gordon fouled out having played 22 minutes and junior reserve Anthony Dadson fouled out in 10 minutes.

Gordon's final foul came at 7:58 and an ensuing free throw from Steve Pendleton put Arcadia up 48-46.

Nik Henson assisted on the 3 from Shippen on the next possession to get the Alvernia run started.

"The defense from Henson and [Nick] Youngkin in the last minutes was very good," said Miller.  "They were both undersized and it's the first time they were at 4 and 5.  That was very big."

Miller, Jr. led Alvernia with a game-high 22 points, Youngkin added a dozen, and Keon Taylor finished with 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds.  Arcadia got a team-high 14 from Pierfy.

Alvernia will host Stevenson University in the final home game of the season needing another win to keep the season going.

"After staring out 0-and-4, just to still be alive," said Miller, Jr., "you can't ask for much more than that."

Alvernia 61, Arcadia 58