No. 7 Mt. Union Too Much for Behrend Men's Basketball

ERIE, Pa. – The seventh-ranked Mount Union men's basketball team handed Penn State Behrend its first loss of the season with a 76-63 decision in non-conference action on Thursday night in the first game of the PSB Tip-Off Tournament.  

Score: No. 7 Mt. Union 76, Penn State Behrend 63

Records: Penn State Behrend (2-1), No. 7 Mt. Union (3-0)

Key Moments:

* Mount Union had four players score in double figures, led by Christian Parker with a game-high 20 points
* The Purple Raiders built an eight-point lead in the first half, but back-to-back triples and a layup by RJ Marsh (State College, PA/Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy) tied the game at 22-all
* Mt. Union held the Lions scoreless for four minutes and built a nine-point lead at 34-25 with 3:34 left to play in the first half
* The Purple Raiders kept that lead heading into halftime and built their largest advantage (21) in the second half
* The Lions kept the Purple Raiders 10 points below their season average of 86.3 ppg
* Behrend held a 48-33 advantage in rebounds and in free throws (13-for-16)
* Tommy DiRienzo (Pittsburgh, PA/Bethel Park) and Matt Niland (Erie, PA/Fairview) each tallied 11 points
* DiRienzo posted his first double-double of the season with 12 rebounds
* Marsh finished with 10 points and six rebounds

Up Next:

* The Lions return to action on Saturday against Juniata for game two of the Tip-Off Tourney. Tip off is 5 p.m.