(CRESSON, PA:) Penn State Altoona shot 50% from the field
and 69% from behind the arc in the first half, and junior Curtis Geiger
(Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove) poured in 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the
Lions downed Mount Aloysius 78-69 Monday evening. Altoona improved to 8-7
and hiked its Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference mark to 5-3 while the
Mounties fell to 3-10 and 1-8 in the AMCC.
The Lions rode their hot shooting opening half to a 46-30 lead
at intermission. Penn State Altoona was 9-13 from three point range in the
period as Geiger went 3-3 and Mike Dancer (Montgomeryville, PA/North Penn) and
Chad Zeigler (Mechanicsburg, PA/Mechanicsburg) each canned two.
Altoona was stellar at the charity stripe, connecting on 21-22
foul shots including 16-16 in the second half. Senior Quintin Dziabo
(Cresson, PA/Penn Cambria), who hails from Cresson and grew up playing on Mount
Aloysius' home court, added 11 points and pulled seven rebounds, and four
other Lions scored at least eight.
Mount Aloysius 6-8 forward Rich McNutt kept his squad within
striking distance, scoring a game-high 35 points on 15-23 field goal shooting
and yanking 11 boards. Teammate Brian Collins contributed 14 and eight
rebounds. The Mounties actually finished with two more field goals than
Altoona but had two less long balls and 11 fewer free throws.
The Lions twice increased their lead to 18 within the first 1:19
of the second half on Dziabo and Kirk Peters (Harrisburg, PA/Susquehanna
Township) lay ups. A McNutt basket with 5:04 left brought the Mounties to
within four (60-56). But Altoona would not allow the hosts to get any
closer than five the rest of the way as Geiger and sophomore Zach Spitz
(Harrisburg, PA/Susquehanna Township) combined to make 12 free throws in the
last two minutes.
Penn State Altoona will next meet AMCC foe Pitt-Greensburg this
Wednesday, January 23, at the Adler Gym. Tip time is 8:00 PM.
CONTACT: Penn
State Altoona Sports Information
Steve Crider -- SID
814-949-5173
sac310@psu.edu
