WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The Arcadia University men's basketball team held a two-point lead with just under a minute to go, but could not hang on as host Lycoming College pulled out an 89-86 Commonwealth Conference decision Wednesday night.
 
The Warriors improved to 16-7 overall and 11-3 in conference play with the win, while the Knights fell to 11-11 overall and 7-6 in conference play. The loss, combined with Alvernia's win over Stevenson and Hood's 63-61 win over Widener, dropped Arcadia into a three-way tie for third in the conference standings
 
It was never more than a two-possession game in the second half and Lycoming led 84-82 after freshman forward Chris Wallace went above the rim for a slam in transition following a game-tying three-ball from Arcadia senior guard Torrell Candelaria. Senior forward Joe Brown knotted the score at 84 with a layup on the ensuing possession and senior forward Jose Figueroa hit a pair of free throws that gave the Knights an 86-84 lead with 53 seconds to go.
 
Senior guard Patrick Dougher answered those free throws with a three at the other end that gave the Warriors the lead for good 41 seconds to go. Candelaria's three-point attempt back down the floor was off the mark and the rebound was controlled by Dougher with 14 seconds left on the clock. He then hit both ends of a 1 and 1 for the 89-86 final.
 
Arcadia got the ball back with nine seconds to go, but were unable to get off a potential game-tying three when a communication lapse led to sophomore guard Ryan Kelley passing the ball into a corner vacated by Candelaria. Freshman guard Issak Bodon was fouled on the inbounding play with two seconds to go and missed the front end of a 1 and 1, but controlled his own rebound and held on as the final second ran off the clock.
 
The Knights scored the first eight points of the game and were up by as many as 11 after a three from junior guard John Landro gave Arcadia a 25-14 lead midway through the first half. Lycoming battled back to tie the game twice in the final minute on threes from Bodon. The Knights took a 40-37 lead into the locker room on a three from Candelaria with five seconds on the clock.
 
Landro led five players that scored in double figures for Arcadia with 18 points on 6 of 11 shooting from three. Candelaria finished with 15 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Kelley finished with 14 points, seven boards, five helpers and three steals. Brown added 11 points with eight rebounds, while freshman guard Sean Mayberry chipped in with 13 points and four rebounds off the bench.
 
Dougher poured in a game-high 21 points on 6 of 12 shooting from the field, all from three-point range, while Bodon finished with 17 points and five boards. Senior guard Malcom Covington and Wallace netted 15 points each.
 
Both teams had outstanding shooting performances. The Warriors shot 53 percent (33-62) from the field and 47 percent (9-19) from three, while the Knights shot 49 percent (30-61) from the field and 44 percent (14-32) from three.
 
The Knights will be back in action Saturday when they host a 1 p.m. Commonwealth Conference contest against Albright College at Alumni Gymnasium. In honor of Valentine's Day, the first 200 attendees of the doubleheader, which includes a 3 p.m. women's game, wearing red Arcadia gear will receive a free gift at the door.