ALTOONA, Pa. - Senior guard Colin Geiger (Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove) scored a game-high 26 points, surpassing 1,000 for his career in the process, and the Penn State Altoona men's basketball team outscored visiting Mount Aloysius 17-12 in overtime to pull out a 76-71 win Monday night at a raucous Adler Gymnasium.

Geiger scored 12 in the opening period, added 10 more in the second half, then hit 1,000 on a turn-around jumper 19 seconds into overtime.  He entered the game needing 24 points to reach the milestone and becomes the fourth player in program history to accomplish the feat.

With the game deadlocked at 59-59 after regulation, the Lions scored seven of the first nine points to begin overtime including a huge 3-pointer by sophomore Eric Gaetano (Montoursville, PA/Loyalsock Township).  The Altoona lead was seven again with 43 ticks remaining before a Tyrone Lowery trey cut the advantage to 73-69. 

Two Dan Conway free throws with 22 seconds showing pulled Mount Aloysius to within 74-71, but Gaetano sank a pair of foul shots in the waning seconds and Conway missed a desperation 3-pointer, sending Penn State Altoona to 8-7 overall and 5-3 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.

The hosts led by as many as 14 in the second half before a long drought midway through the period allowed the Mounties to climb back, getting to within 49-48 at the 8:35 mark.  Trailing 57-54, Joey Stephenson canned a deep 3-pointer with 1:19 remaining, and two Brian Collins free throws gave the Mounties a two-point lead with one minute and change to play.

Geiger was fouled on a drive and drained both his foul shots to tie the game, and Mount Aloysius missed two shots in the final 48 seconds including a Conway trey that bounced off the rim as time expired.

The match-up saw four ties and 10 lead changes.  Both squads stayed within striking distance in the first half, but Penn State Altoona took a 37-29 lead into halftime when Geiger took one dribble over half court and banked home a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Gaetano finished with 12 as did Kirk Peters (Harrisburg, PA/Susquehanna Township), who grabbed seven rebounds.  Senior Curtis Geiger (Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove) added 10 for the Lions, which held a decisive 17-0 advantage on fastbreak points.

Mount Aloysius held a slight 43-38 edge on the glass but committed 19 turnovers that led to 23 Altoona points.  Conway and Tyrone Lowery each finished with 16 to front the Mounties, while Collins and Richard McNutt finished with 10 and 11 points, respectively.

Both teams shot right around 40% on the evening but were under 32% in the second half.  The Lions managed only six field goals over the final 20 minutes compared to 11 by the Mounties.  

Penn State Altoona returns to action on Thursday, January 22, for an 8:00 PM tip at Pitt-Greensburg.