(ALTOONA, PA:) Facing a 34-30 halftime deficit, the Lions
of Albright College used a 42-point second half to surpass host Penn State
Altoona and claim a 72-64 win Sunday afternoon at the Adler Gym. Albright
improved to 3-1 overall while the Altoona Lions fell to 1-3.
Albright shot a blazing 58% from the field after intermission
and used an 8-2 run in the opening three minutes of the final half to take its
first lead of the game (38-36). After connecting on 14-31 field goals
(45%) in the first half, Penn State Altoona managed only eight second half
buckets on 25 attempts.
A decisive 7-0 run midway through the second half that featured
a three pointer and two free throws from reserve guard Jeff Sparrow increased
the Albright lead to 57-47. Senior Mike Dancer (Montgomeryville, PA/North
Penn) hit one of his four triples of the game at the 5:37 mark to cut the
Altoona deficit to 57-50. But 6-11 Albright center Phil Hall countered
with a three point play to extend the lead, and the hosts would not get closer
than eight the rest of the way.
The visiting Lions out-rebounded Penn State Altoona 36-22 and
held a 28-18 advantage in the painted area.
Penn State Altoona, which led the entire first half, converted
31 Albright turnovers into 21 points and had 13 steals. Dancer and fellow
senior Quintin Dziabo (Cresson, PA/Penn Cambria) each finished with 12 points,
and Dziabo pulled seven rebounds.
Albright received a 14 point, 15 rebound effort from forward
Albert Medoro and 12 points from Tom Murphy. It was Medoro's third
double-double in four games.
Altoona held a 4-0 lead more than three minutes into the game
before Murphy canned a three at the 16:20 mark to get the visitors on the board.
The biggest first half advantage for Altoona was seven, which happened twice via
a Curtis Geiger (Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove) triple (17-10) and a Lorenzo Carter
(Philadelphia, PA/Swenson) lay up (19-12) midway through the period.
Albright entered the game averaging 80 points and only 14
turnovers per night. Both teams made seven three point field goals and 17
free throws on the evening.
Penn State Altoona will open Allegheny Mountain Collegiate
Conference play this Wednesday, November 28, with an 8:00 PM game at La Roche.
CONTACT: Penn
State Altoona Sports Information
Steve Crider -- SID
814-949-5173
sac310@psu.edu
