Knights run out of time against Pride

Box Score
CHESTER, Pa.: Trailing by eight at the half, Arcadia University cut their 15 point second-half deficit down to 4 with :24 seconds remaining but ran out of time trying to force overtime against host Widener University as the Pride held on to defeat the Knights 68-63 in tonight's Commonwealth Conference men's basketball game.

Since starting Commonwealth play 2-0, Arcadia (9-7 overall) has dropped their last three league match-ups, now 2-3, with two remaining in the first half of conference play at Messiah (10-5, 4-1 CC) on Jan. 21 and at home, where the Knights are 6-1, on Jan. 28 against Albright (11-5, 1-4 CC).

Although Arcadia out-scored Widener by three in the second half (37-34), the Knights shot a season-low from three-point range, making just 1 of their 17 attempts and allowed a season high 20 turnovers that the Pride converted into 26 points.

A layup from Widener's Lamar Jackson nearing the 16:00 minute mark gave the Pride an 8 point lead at 11-3 but a tip-in from first year Joe Brown and a jump shot from senior Colin McCarthy cut that in half at 15:22 with Widener in front 11-7.

Widener creeped ahead and took their first double-digit lead of the game as Brian Smith converted on a three-point play at 12:42 for a 19-9 Widener advantage. A three bomb from Perry Wright, who finished as Widener's top scorer, upped the Pride's lead to 15 (24-9) with 10:14 to play in the half but Arcadia, as they would do ten more times by games end, reduced their deficit down to single digits, starting with a pair of made free throws by McCarthy with 4:03 before the half.

First year Aaron Lee Webb kept it a six point deficit for the Knights on two occassions, first with two made free throws at 2:53 before adding a jumper at 2:07. Again Widener took a ten point lead on another bucket from Perry and again the Knights added two more from the line from McCarthy to close the second half down eight on the Pride, 34-26.

Widener shot above 50% from the floor in the first half while the Knights connected on only 34.6% of their attempts.

Early on to start the second half, the Pride enjoyed an 11-4 run capped off by a layup from Jack Brennan giving Widener a 45-30 lead with 13:28 to play. The rest of the way out, Arcadia scrapped and clawed their way back in, finding themselves down just 8 when Khalief Trawick took to the line with :34 second to go. The junior nailed both to cut Widener's lead to 6, 67-61, and a turnover by Brennan led to a fastbreak from sophomore Rashon Brock and a two-possession game for the Knights, down just 4, 67-63 with :21 ticks remaining.

Brock was fouled on the play but missed on the free shot, with the rebound falling into the hands of Wright who was fouled and sent to the line where he made the first and missed the second. With Widener clinging to a 5 point lead, Arcadia's last attempt came from long range and was off the mark with :12 seconds to go, andagain, the ball fell into the hands of Wright, who finished as the game's leading scorer with Widener winning 68-63.

Arcadia scored 40 of their 63 points in the paint and finished shooting 41.7% from the floor and 63.2% from the line while the Pride shot 46.9% from the floor, went 6 for 15 from three point range and 55.2% at the line. Arcadia won the rebounding advantage 38-35

Wright led Widener with a game high 18 points and added 5 rebounds. Brennan finished with 14 points and 7 rebounds while Jackson scored 13 points and made 4 steals.

Trawick led Arcadia on 13 points to go along with 6 boards and 2 steals. First year Travis Saltus added 11 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. McCarthy finished with 9 points and 4 boards. Brown earned a team high 9 rebounds with 8 points and Brock, who also scored 8, blocked one shot and made 2 steals.

Arcadia travels to Grantham, Pa. for an 7 p.m. tip-off against the host Falcons of Messiah College this Sat., Jan. 21 looking to regain their winning ways in Commonwealth Conference play.

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