WARRIOR MEN’S BASKETBALL WINS FREEDOM CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The Lycoming College men’s basketball team won their second Freedom Conference Championship in three seasons, Saturday afternoon, defeating Wilkes University 78-70. The Warriors outlasted the Colonels in a back-and-forth fight reminiscent of a heavyweight bout. With the victory, Lycoming improves to 20-7 on the season and will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Championships beginning on Thursday, March 4. Wilkes drops to 18-9 for the season.

The Colonels set a defensive tone early in the game holding the Warriors without a field goal for the first seven minutes of the game. Lycoming, however, played a little defense of their own and stayed within striking distance until sophomore Jonathan Pribble (Woolrich, Pa.; Central Mountain) connected on a three-pointer to ignite the offense and pull the Warriors with three at 8-11.

Wilkes extended their advantage to seven with less than eight minutes to play in the half, but an 8-0 run by the Warriors gave the home team their first lead at 22-21. Over the final six minutes of the period, the lead would change hands seven times and be tied four other times. Lycoming had the final say of the half with a pair of free throws to take a 38-36 lead into the locker room.

The second half picked up right where the first half left off with neither team able to open up a margin greater than three points. The Warriors finally broke free of a 48-48 tie with a 6-0 run midway through the period.

Lycoming maintained their six point lead into the final 10 minutes, but Colonels’ senior Mike Morgan connected on one of his five second-half three pointers to cut the deficit in half. Following a free-throw by the Warriors, fellow senior Dave Plisko drained a triple of his own to pull the visitors within one. Lycoming answered with another free throw, but Morgan hit yet another three-pointer to give Wilkes a 61-60 lead with 6:29 to play.

After trading leads, the two teams entered the final four minutes knotted at 65-65. Pribble put the Warriors ahead by three with a free throw and a jumper. Plisko and Lycoming’s L.J. Huggler (Sr./St. Marys, Pa.; St. Marys) traded free throws to make the score 69-66 with 2:33 to play.

After both teams went scoreless on their next possession, junior Shaun Morris (Camp Hill, Pa.; Trinity) delivered the knockout punch for the Warriors with an NBA-range three-pointer that came with just six seconds on the shot-clock and only 1:43 to play in the game. Lycoming went just 4-of-10 from the free throw line in the final 90 seconds, but came up with offensive rebounds on two of the misses that helped seal the victory. The Warriors out-rebounded the Colonels 44-22 in the game.

Pribble led all players with 34 points and 10 rebounds in the game. Morris added 14 points and Huggler chipped in 12. Senior Matt Stackhouse (Hughesville, Pa.; Hughesville) pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds, while scoring eight points and handing out four assists. Sophomore Brad Musser (Mifflinburg, Pa.; Mifflinburg) led the squad with five assists.

Morgan led Wilkes with 23 points, including seven three-pointers. Plisko added 19 markers and John Yanniello kicked in 15 points and four assists.

The selection of the field for the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament will take place Sunday, February 29, at 10:30 p.m. The selection show will be broadcast live via the internet at NCAAsports.com.