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Two of the Commonwealth Conference's most talented squads are set to square off in Grantham, Pa. as each team needs a conference win to stay within striking distance of Lycoming and Arcadia, who sit atop the standings heading into the season's final month.

Messiah is coming off of a successful road test to open up 2012 as the Falcons handily defeated Gettysburg 74-50. That win followed a successful performance in the Adidas Slam Tournament in Miami, FL, as the Falcons won the tournament to close out 2011 on a high note. Albright has also played well of late, leading for most of the first half against Division I opponent Cornell University before succumbing to the superior athleticism of the Big Red and falling 78-60. The Lions also played in a tournament after New Year's, as they defeated Valley Forge Christian College and Moravian College en route to winning the championship.

Albright College (9-4, 0-2 Commonwealth Conference)

The Lions are coached by Berks County native Rick Ferry, who holds a 154-118 record in his 11th season at Albright. His tenure has included two conference championships and two NCAA tournament appearances. He also serves as co-Director of Athletics.  Prior to his current appointment, he served as head coach at Juniata College for five seasons.

Ferry leads an experienced squad with arguably the deepest front court in the Commonwealth Conference, headed by six-foot, 11-inch center Derek Hall (13.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 1.2 BPG) and six-foot, five-inch forward Shane Irwin (9.2 PPG/4.5 RPG/1.0 BPG). Irwin has also been an asset at the foul line, shooting a team-leading 80 percent from the charity stripe. Big men Zach Benjamin (Jr., 6-9) and Casey Burke (Fr., 6-10) are ready to come off the bench to fill the gap should Hall run into any foul trouble.

Sophomore Kyle Jordan and junior Cornell Mickens have already offered a highlight reel of top plays throughout the season, contributing a combined 17.3 points and 9.8 boards per game combined. Jordan showcased his athleticism against Cornell at Newman Arena with some standout defense and a spectacular two-handed dunk that left many of the 2,000 fans in attendance wondering whether he was playing in the right division of the NCAA. Mickens has also improved as the season progressed, as he is now the team's third-leading scorer and has offered leadership on the floor.

The wild card of the 2011-12 team is recent addition of junior guard Dave Singleton, a transfer from Division I Marquette University. Singleton transferred to Albright after redshirting his junior year at Marquette. He has rapidly begun to get comfortable with the offense, averaging 10.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in his four contests.

Six-foot, three-inch junior guard Pedro Perez has been seeing increased playing time and has provided a steady presence.

Messiah College (7-5 Overall, 1-1 Commonwealth Conference)

Messiah sports a hungry squad that is loaded with size up-and-down the lineup. Head coach Rick Van Pelt is in the midst of his 9th season at Messiah holding a career record of 130-89. Following a disappointing 12-13 campaign that ended with a 51-49 loss to Alvernia University in the Commonwealth Conference semifinals, the Falcons are once again aiming for a conference title.

Leading Van Pelt's 2011-12 squad is a set of standout sophomores that have been contributing in a big way since gaining invaluable experience as freshman. Guard David Fernandez is one of three Falcons in the top five scorers from last year's squad to return. Around the midpoint of the season, the six-foot, four-inch Miami, FL native has averaged 17.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Fernandez has been on fire all season, draining a team-leading 63.3 percent of his shots. Joining him has been fellow sophomore guard Brad Bolen, who enters tonight's game averaging 10.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Bolan has been a defensive weapon for the Falcons, recording a team-high 18 steals, and has also been lethal from the foul line, hitting 94.4 percent of his throws from the charity stripe (17-of-18).

Assisting the second-year duo has been junior forward Derek Mosley. The six-foot, five-inch Ashton, MD native is second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Moseley has also been a sharpshooter from beyond the arc, leading the team in attempts and conversion percentage, hitting nearly 48 percent (47.7) of his shots. His shooting acumen and size combination could cause problems for the Lions.

Finally, unheralded senior forward Jeremiah Runkle is the big man in the paint for Messiah. He enters the game scoring 6.8 points and collecting 7.3 boards per contest. Runkle's ability to handle the Albright size up front will loom large if Messiah expects to win the game.

Keys to the Game

The Lion's will look to continue to build on the momentum during a 78-60 loss to Division I Cornell University that saw them lead much of the first half. Using their athleticism and shutdown defense in the paint, the Lions hung around with Division I Cornell much longer than the majority of the people believed they would, proving they came to play and would not be blown away. The Lions' two conference losses have been by a combined 10 points.

Messiah is looking for its fourth consecutive win, and in their previous three games they are averaging 68.3 points per game while playing stingy defense and allowing just 49.7. In their two conference games, the Falcons have allowed 56 and 84 points respectively, the latter total in an 84-82 overtime loss to rival Lebanon Valley College. This match-up against the Red and White represents their first home conference game of the season and their first home game since Dec. 6.

Albright appears to have a size advantage in the paint, which it will need to take advantage of if it wants to secure its first conference victory. The Falcons have scored more than 76 points just once this season, which was during the aforementioned loss to Lebanon Valley. The Lions, on the other hand, have scored 76 or more points in eight games this season. If the Lions grab early control underneath the net and hold the Falcons to shooting below their 48.2 percent mark, they have a good chance to record their first conference victory of the season.