Mounties Comeback to Defeat Lions

CRESSON, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend men's basketball team fell to Mt. Aloysius 70-60 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) action on Saturday afternoon.

The Mounties (13-6, 9-3 AMCC) erased an 11-point second half deficit to knock off the Lions (13-6, 9-3 AMCC) for the second time this season.

Russ Conley (Transfer, PA/Reynolds) and Nick DeLisio (Aliquippa, PA/Central Valley) got Behrend out to a good start, scoring the Lions' first nine points.  After a Shane Skelly (Westlake, OH/Westlake) layup, Behrend had built an early 11-4 lead.  Mt. Aloysius battled back to eventually take the lead late in the opening stanza, but a 9-2 Lions' run to end the half put Behrend up by six at the break.

With the second half underway, the Lions slowly added to the advantage.  After Keith Wallace (Erie, PA/Central Tech) netted four straight points, Behrend was up 48-37 at the 11:32 mark.  Just as the Lions ended the first half, the Mounties had a run of their own in the second.

After scoring 37 points in the game's first 29 minutes, Mt. Aloysius scored 33 in the final 11 minutes.  Behrend was clinging to a 52-46 lead at the 6:24 mark, but four straight free throws from Tanner Thomas cut the deficit to just two.  After a Demetrius Davis layup, Dameon Turner made two from the charity stripe to give the Mounties their first lead since the 3:37 mark of the first half.

Over the final four minutes of the game, Mt. Aloysius used the momentum from the comeback to outscore the Lions, 16-8.  Behrend managed just two field goals down the stretch with the Mounties converting on 8-of-10 free throws to ice the game.

Mt. Aloysius was able to make the difference at the free throw line and on the glass.  The Mounties made 16 free throws to just six by the Lions and dominated the boards, 33-18.

Conley led all scorers with 23 points.  DeLisio chipped in 17 points to go with five rebounds and three assists.

Behrend will be back in action on Wednesday to host Medaille at 8 p.m.