READING, Pa. – In what proved to be a tale of two halves, the Arcadia University men's basketball team dropped a 76-69 decision at Albright Wednesday night. The Knights fell to 9-10 on the season, and 4-6 in conference play, while the Lions improved to 8-11 overall and 6-4 in MAC Commonwealth play.
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Knights controlled much of the first half of play leading by as many as eight when the score board read 16-8 just under eight minutes in. Control was established with a seven-point spurt in retaliation to a game-opening and one by Omari Ringgold. Sophomore josh Scott opened that stretch with a three before knocking down a jumper to give the Scarlet and Grey the 16-8 lead. The hosts took a 28-26 lead with 3:38 to go until the half before Arcadia took a 36-35 lead to the break following a half-ending 10-7 run.
Shooting 3-6 from the floor and 4-6 from the charity stripe to open the second half, the Knights jumped out to a 47-49 lead less than five minutes into the frame. Albright stormed back with the next eight points in a two minute span, before sophomore
Evan Slone put the Knights back up by one following a pair of free throws for a 49-48 Arcadia lead with 13:02 to go.
After a 13-6 run put the hosts in front by a score of 61-55 with 6:08 left on the clock, Slone, classmate
Phil Pierfy and senior
Ryan Kelley combined for the next six points to tie the game at 61 a minute later. Albright finished the game on a 15-8 run, highlighted by 10-13 shooting at the charity stripe.
HISTORY IN THE MAKING: After recording a pair of steals on the night, Kelley moved into a tie for second place on Arcadia's all-time steals list with 174. He sits just two back of Orick Smith's program record 176.
ARCADIA LEADERS: Scott led the Knights with 17 points on 6-11 shooting and seven rebounds, while being joined in double-figure scoring by Slone (15), Kelley (11) and Pierfy (11). Sophomore
Jordan Sanders handed out a team-high four assists, while Slone, Kelley and Pierfy each registered two steals.
ALBRIGHT LEADERS: Fred Rowles led all scorers with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Ringgold (12), DeJuan Smith (12) and Jared Rappoport (11) all reached double-figures in scoring. Smith led all players with five assists.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: After shooting 50% from the floor in the first half, the Knights finished the game 22-55 (40%), including 5-16 from distance, while converting 20-16 from the free throw line. The Lions shot 41.5% (22-53) from the field on the night after an 11-21 showing in the second half, they shot just 28.6% from three, however, whole shooting 77.4% (24-31) from the free throw line. The Knights controlled the paint by a 30-18 scoring margin, but the Lions bench proved 10 points better the Arcadia's (20-10).
