Messiah pulls out 9 point win over Arcadia

GLENSIDE, PA: (Jan. 22, 2011) - Arcadia University Men's Basketball hosted the Falcons of Messiah College Saturday afternoon to close out the first half of Commonwealth Conference action. The Knights, currently 8th in the league, were not only looking to snap a five game winless streak, their longest of the year to date, but an Arcadia win would have been their first 'W' in league play and could have kept an already too close to call playoff race in the Commonwealth up in the air. Messiah is one of three teams tied for fifth (at 2-4) but there is also a three way deadlock at the number two spot while top-dog Alvernia remains as the league's only team with an unblemished record (6-0). While Arcadia was never able to play with the lead, the Knights pestered the Falcons for the entire game but in the end saw Messiah walk away with a nine point victory, 64-55. With the loss, Arcadia falls to 4-12 overall and will enter the second half of play in the Commonwealth at 0-7. Messiah improves to 8-9 overall and finished the first half of league play at 3-4.

The Falcons had the size advantage over Arcadia and used a hot shooting percentage of 57.7% and the advantage in rebounding 19-9 over the first half to stay in front of the Knights on the scoreboard. But still, Arcadia remained in pursuit. Eric O'Hora '14 (Scranton, PA/Holy Cross) pulled up for three at the top of the key with 9:49 to play in the first to all but erase a 7 point Messiah lead, bringing his Knights to within 1, 19-20. At the five minute mark, Jason Thompson '12 (Cape May Courthouse, NJ/Middle Twp.) iced the first of his four long range buckets to keep it a one-possession game, with Messiah in front 26-24. A 9-4 run for the Falcons closed the first half with Messiah on top 35-28.

The Falcons eventually went up by 11 with 8:49 to play in the game when Arcadia turned it on offensively. Thompson went to town for 8 straight Arcadia points, two from deep at 8:29 and 6:26 and pull up jumper at 4:19 and the Knights were right back in the game, trailing by two, 53-51. But Messiah wasn't rattled, as their shots continued to fall. When Damien Palantino 'GR (Phialdelphia, PA/Father Judge) scored off a jump shot, he brought the Knights to within five, 53-58, as close as the team would come. Fouls continued to rack up for Arcadia, and put Messiah in the bonus in the final minute. Arcadia would send Messiah to the line three times, where the Falcons went 6 for 6 to hold on for the nine point victory.

Messiah was led by a double-double from Jeremiah Runkle's 17 points and 13 rebounds and they also got 14 points from Chris Yoder. David Fernandez scored 9 points and added 8 rebounds while Brad Bolen, who went 4-4 at the line in the final 30 seconds, chipped in with 8 points.

For the Knights, Thompson would finish with 16 points on 4-7 from three point range. O'Hora scored 11 points and had 4 boards and 2 steals. Darrell Mills '11 (Philadelphia, PA/Engineering & Sciences) dropped in 8 points along with his team high 9 caroms while Palantino and Colin McCarthy '12 (Langhorne, PA/Holy Ghost Prep) each added 7 points and 4 boards. Palantino also finished with 5 steals and dished out 3 assists. Aaron Benusis '14 (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) scored 6 and added 6 rebounds and a game high of 4 blocked shots.

On Monday night, Arcadia travels to Penn State Hazleton for a 7:30 PM non-conference game and host Berkeley College Wednesday evening at 7 PM in the Kuch Center. The team begins the second half of Commonwealth play next Saturday, Jan. 29, in Annville, PA at Lebanon Valley College, a game that tips at 2 PM to be followed by the women's game at 4 PM.

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