3/1/08

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.—Lycoming’s men’s basketball team (17-10, 7-3) lost to Widener (22-5, 6-4) by a score of 75-61 in the Commonwealth Conference championship game on Saturday at Lamade Gymnasium. For the Warriors, it ends a year in which they won the regular-season conference title and head coach Don Friday was named Commonwealth Coach of the Year.

Lycoming’s first-team all-conference point guard Eric Anthony (Wheeling, W.V.) recorded a double-double for the afternoon, leading all players with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Anthony hit a team-high three 3-pointers and went a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line.

Seniors Kevin Morris (Camp Hill, Pa.) and David Wilson (Pottsville, Pa.) scored 15 and 14 points, respectively, in their final game in blue and gold. Morris ranked second on the team with seven rebounds; Wilson had a pair of assists.

Widener was led by Charles Jones’ 16 points, while Matt Sosna and Branden Washington had 14 and 11, respectively. Commonwealth Tournament Most Valuable Player Nyere Miller scored seven points, while recording five steals.

A Morris three put the Warriors up by 11 with 7:21 left in the first half, but Miller led the Pride on a run that tied the score 32-32 at halftime. Widener held Lycoming without a basket for nearly 14 minutes after the break, resulting in a 62-45 Pride lead. The Warriors got as close as 12 on an Anthony 3-pointer with 1:44 left in the game, but Widener made 9-of-10 foul shots in the final minutes to secure the win.

Lycoming shot just 30 percent from the floor for the game. Widener held a 34-10 advantage in points in the paint and a 20-6 edge in bench points. The Pride claim their second-straight Commonwealth title and their third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.