Huntingdon, Pa. (March 1, 2023) - #1 Alvernia University took a 69-58 win over #7 Juniata College to advance to the ECAC Semifinal game this weekend as the Golden Wolves downed Eagles on Wednesday evening in ECAC quarterfinal action at Juniata. 

With the win, Alvernia advances to the ECAC semifinals on Saturday, hosted at Alfred University. The Golden Wolves will take on #4 Neumann University. 

Alvernia led by just three points at the half, and gave up the lead midway through the second half. But, Alvernia went on an 8-2 run to retake the lead. But, the Eagles tied it up again with 4:47 to play. Alvernia held the Eagles scoreless the rest of the way as the Golden Wolves came away with the 69-58 win. 

The Golden Wolves jumped out to a 7-0 lead to open the game following a 3-pointer from Nigel Cooke and layups from Keba Mitchell and Jakob Kelly. The Eagles got on the board two minutes into the game, but Alvernia continued to hold a seven point lead, 11-4, following a layup from Robert Mullan with 16:25 to play in the opening half. But, Alvernia's scoring went cold for the next four minutes as the Eagles worked their way within one, 11-10.

A dunk by Kyle Gordon broke Alvernia's scoring drought with 12:40 to play to give Alvernia back a three point lead. But, the Eagles took the lead a minute later on a Jackson Byer layup. The Golden Wolves and Eagles traded the lead or tied ten times over the next nine minutes until a 3-pointer from Mullan gave Alvernia the 33-30 lead with 2:41 to play in the half.

Alvernia made it a 34-30 game on a Mitchell free throw. The Eagles scored the final point of the half on a free throw of their own to make it a 34-31 game going into the second half. 

Alvernia opened the second half with back-to-back layups from Mitchell and Green to make it a 38-34 after the first 90 seconds of the second half. The Golden Wolves extended it to a six point game on a Green layup, and a Gordon free throw made it a 43-36 game with 15:53 to play. 

The Eagles cut it to two, 43-41, on a 3-pointer and layup, but layups from Green and Kelly again made it a six point game, 47-41, with 13:52 to play. A 3-pointer and pair of made free throws brought the Eagles within one, 47-46, with 11:33 to play, and a layup from Juniata's Elijah Kioko gave the Eagles a one point lead, 48-47, with 9:50 to play. 

Alvernia retook the lead, 50-48, on a 3-pointer from Green. A jumper from Mullan and two more back-to-back 3-pointers from Green gave Alvernia the eight point lead, 58-50, with 6:21 to play. Less than two minutes later, Juniata evened it up at 58-58 on a 3-pointer from Tyler Lapetine.

The tie lasted just 40 seconds as Alvernia retook the lead, 60-58, on a Green layup with 4:25 to play. The layup sparked an 11-run as Alvernia closed out the game holding the Eagles scoreless and allowing the Golden Wolves to come away with the 69-58 win.

Green finished the game with 25 points, shooting 10-for-19 from the floor. He also finished with a team-high seven rebounds. 

Alvernia is back in action on Saturday taking on Neumann University at Alfred University.