BOX SCORE Aston, Pa. (Nov. 28, 2023) - After ten days off, Alvernia University (3-1) returned on Tuesday night and held off Neumann University (2-4) to pick up a 73-66 win over the Knights in men's basketball action at Neumann.

The Knights took an early 3-0 lead following a layup and a made free throw on a shooting foul. But, Alvernia tied it up on its first possession of the game on a Malik Slay 3-pointer.  After trading baskets, Alvernia toko an 8-5 lead on a 3-pointer from Robert Mullan and made it an 11-7 game on another three by Slay three minutes into the action.

Alvernia kept it going with a Mullan layup and a Kyle Gordon jumper to make it a 15-7 game with 15:43 on the clock. But, the Knights went on an 8-0 run over the next two minutes to tie the game up at 15-15 with 13:19 to play. 

A 3-point play by Slay put an end to the quick run by the Knights and gave Alvernia back the lead, 18-15.

The scoring slowed a bit over the next six minutes of action, but a jumper from Gordon made it a six point game, 24-18, in favor of the Golden Wolves with 7:32 to play in the half.

Alvernia found its stride in the final six minutes of the half as a Jakob Kelly layup put Alvernia up by eight, and a steal in the backcourt by Mullan followed by a fastbreak layup put Alvernia up by ten, 30-20, with 5:09 to play.

The Golden Wolves maintained at least a seven point lead the rest of the half, and a 3-pointer by Jacob Stoudt on Alvernia's final possession of the half made it a ten point game, 38-28, going into the break. 

Alvernia shot 47% in the first half to Neumann's 36% and Alvernia held the Knights scoreless from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes. 

The Golden Wolves struggled to get things going in the early minutes of the second half, and the Knights jumped at the opportunity.  Neumann closed the gap down to one possession, 38-35, as Alvernia was held scoreless in the opening four minutes of the half.

But, Mickeel Allen got Alvernia back on track with a putback layup and a Mullan layup made it a 42-37 game with 15:32 on the clock.

The Golden Wolves and Knights traded points over the next five minutes until a pair of made free throws by Jalil Schenck and an Alex Cercado 3-pointer put Alvernia back up by ten, 52-42, as the second half neared the ten minute mark. Alvernia maintained a ten point lead for the next five minutes, and a Kelly 3-pointer with 5:04 on the clock gave Alvernia its largest lead so far, 63-50.

The Knights threatened with a quick 5-0 run, but a Kelly layup put Alvernia back up by double-digits, 65-55. A jumper from Mullan followed by a Cercado layup made it a 14 point game, 69-55, with just under two minutes to play.

Neumann never got closer than seven the rest of the way, and Alvernia made four free throws in the final 30 seconds to seal the 73-66 win.

Kelly led Alvernia with a 22 point, 14 rebound double-double. Mullan finished with 14 points and two steals, and Cercado came off the bench to score ten. Gordon finished with seven boards and four blocks.

Alvernia is back in action on Saturday hosting DeSales.