GLENSIDE, Pa. – The Arcadia University men's basketball team snapped visiting Alvernia University's seven-game winning streak with an 81-74 MAC Commonwealth victory Wednesday night at Alumni Gymnasium. The Knights improved to 15-7 overall and 8-5 in conference play with the win, while the Crusaders fell to 14-9 overall and 10-4 in conference play
 
Each of the Alvernia's last two losses this season are to Arcadia, which won a 69-61 decision in Reading January 13. This marks just the second time in program history that the Knights have won both regular season meetings against the Crusaders, the first coming back in the 1999-2000 campaign.
 
Tonight's win keeps Arcadia in sole possession of second place in the MAC Commonwealth standings with three regular season games remaining. The Knights trail the Crusaders by a game and a half, and now hold the all-important tie-breaker with Alvernia should the teams finish tied in the final regular season standings.
 
It was a tight contest the entire way, with the Crusaders using a 7-0 run to start the contest for their largest lead in the game, while the Knights used a 7-0 burst of their own to go up 25-17, which was their largest advantage of the game. Neither team led by more than five in the second half until Arcadia pulled away at the free throw line to close out the contest.
 
Alvernia was up 74-72 following a layup by Marquis Marshall with 3:05, which proved to be the final points scored by the Crusaders in the game. Arcadia went back on top for good following a layup by freshman Evan Slone with 2:48 left in the game, and his put-back off a miss by classmate Josh Scott extended the Knights' lead to 77-74.
 
Arcadia was forced to the line in the final in the closing minute, and Scott went 4 for 4 at the stipe to close out the game. Those free throws accounted for four of his game-high 23 points. He also finished the contest with seven rebounds.
 
Slone added 13 points with eight boards for the game, while senior John Landro and junior Ryan Kelley finished with 12 points each. Freshman Kyle Reilly netted 11 points with five rebounds off the bench, while senior Alex Cohen chipped in with three points and a game-high 10 boards.
 
Landro now has 925 career points, and moved past former teammate Travis Saltus (915 points from 2011-15) into ninth place on the program's NCAA Division III era scoring list. He is just seven points back of Bob Caucci (932 points from 1995-99) for eighth on that list.  

Mike Miller finished with 19 points to lead Alvernia, while Charles Cooper poured in 18 points with seven boards. Marshall posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
 
The Knights shot 47 percent (26-55) from the field, 46 percent from thee (6-13) in the game while holding the Crusaders to 38 percent (24-63) from the floor and 36 percent (9-25) from three. Arcadia was and efficient 23 of 29 (79 percent) at the line, while Alvernia was 17-28 (61 percent).
 
The Knights will be back in action Saturday when they travel to Lebanon Valley College for a 4 p.m. MAC Commonwealth contest.