Reading, Pa. (Feb. 13, 2018) - Alvernia University (12-12, 7-8) build a double digit lead late then held on for a 68-64 win over Stevenson University (11-14, 3-13) Tuesday evening in MAC Commonwealth men's basketball at Jack McCloskey Court.

The win keeps the Golden Wovles alive in the hunt for the playoffs with one more game to go. Alvernia will need a win at Widener on Saturday--the Pride are also playing for a playoff spot--and a loss by Arcadia to have a shot.

A pair of freshmen and a senior made the difference in Alvernia's decisive run on Tuesday.

Freshman Keon Taylor scored in the paint, then senior Alex Shippen came up with a steal and a layup, and freshman Kyle Gordon finished a feed near the hoop to put Alvernia up 65-53 with 4:03 to play.

"Our offense the second half was probably the best it was all year," said Alvernia head coach Mike Miller.  "We got the ball into the big man, and Nick [Youngkin] and [Mike Miller, Jr.] fed off it.  And Taylor had some nice drives."

Alvernia shot 50 percent from the floor and overcame a two-point halftime deficit.

It's first 6-0 run of the second half ended in a 55-47 lead with 7:57 to go then another one three minutes later had the hosts up 12.

As they did in the win at Stevenson earlier in the season and again last Saturday in a win over Arcadia, the Wolves sweated it out down the stretch.  Stevenson scored five straight to cut the deficit to seven points.  Gordon came up with a block at the defensive end to keep Stevenson from closing any more with 1:38 to go.

Senior Mike Miller, Jr. went to the line for a 1-and-1, but only converted the first, and the Wolves missed three straight from the line while the Mustangs knocked down a pair of 3s.  The second with 13 seconds left had Alvernia up 66-64.

Taylor was fouled on the inbounds without any time going off the clock.  He buried both free throws and Danzel Wright missed two contested 3s in the final seconds.

Stevenson had its largest lead of the game late in the first half when Cam Harris scored on a layup against the Alvernia zone defense to go up 24-17.  Alvernia responded with an 8-0 run to regain the lead and held the same one-point advantage before Danzel Wright hit a 3 at the first half buzzer that put Stevenson up 31-29 at the break.

Gordon led the way for the Wolves with 18 points and 16 rebounds.  Shippen finished with 16 points, Youngkin and Miller had 11 each and Taylor finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.

"It's exciting to still be alive," said Shippen after the win.  "There's a chance we can get it, but there's a chance we don't."

Alvernia--which has had it's back up against the wall for the last two games--heads to Widener on Saturday to play one more time for that chance.

Alvernia 68, Stevenson 64