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Two Commonwealth Conference opponents are set to face off in one of Berks County's most heated rivalries as Albright travels down route 422-East to Alvernia with both squads fighting for position in the league playoff race.

The cross-town Crusaders are looking to bounce back after suffering a 71-64 conference loss to Lebanon Valley College on the road that saw a second-half comeback attempt fall short. The loss halted an eight-game winning streak that dated back to Dec. 8, which coincidentally started after their first conference loss, a 68-66 home decision against Lycoming College. The visiting Lions enter enemy territory following a 68-55 conference win over Elizabethtown College, a game which saw them tie their season-low for points allowed against the Blue Jays.

Albright College (10-5 Overall, 1-3 Commonwealth Conference)

The Lions are coached by Berks County native Rick Ferry, who holds a 155-119 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, headed by six-foot, 11-inch center Derek Hall (14.0 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 1.5 BPG) and six-foot, five-inch forward Shane Irwin (9.4 PPG/4.4 RPG/2.4 APG). Irwin has also been an asset at the foul line, shooting a team-leading 84 percent from the charity stripe.

Sophomore Kyle Jordan and junior Cornell Mickens have already offered a highlight reel of top plays throughout the season, contributing a combined 17.2 points and 9.6 boards per game combined. Mickens may just be the “player to watch” as he has ratcheted his game into another gear as the season has progressed. His ability to drive to the hoop and draw fouls late in the game are two of his best attributes as he is shooting nearly 82 percent (81.8) from the foul line. Second on the team in minutes at 27.6 per contest, Mickens is a leader on the floor.

Alvernia University (10-4 Overall, 2-2 Commonwealth Conference)

The defending Commonwealth Conference champion Crusaders are led by eighth year head coach Mike Miller. Miller, who sports a 134-69 career record at Alvernia, is no stranger to Berks County. Prior to his current appointment, he amassed a 159-41 record coaching high school mostly at Reading High, including mentoring future NBA player Donyell Marshall.

Miller's 2011-12 squad incorporates a nice blend of veteran leadership and young stars-in-the-making. A crucial match-up will be how senior six-foot, eight-inch forward Cory Boone handles the big Albright frontcourt. Boone averages 11.7 PPG/7.6 RPG/2.8 BPG, and leads the Maroon and Gold at the foul line with an 84 percent success rate. Assisting Boone in the front court is six-foot, four-inch senior forward Brian Nerney. Nerney plays the complement role up front averaging 8.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

Directing the offense is five-foot, nine-inch sophomore point guard Chris Davis. In his first season quarterbacking the Crusaders, Davis has recorded 5.6 points per game and 3.9 assists per contest. He also is strong on defense as his 22 steals trail only team-leader and guard Josh Vargas, who has 23. The six-foot, three-inch junior Vargas leads the team in scoring with 13.9 points per game as well as shots attempted.

Another key player is six-foot, two-inch senior guard Stefan Thomas. His 11.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game place him among the team leaders, but his prowess from beyond the arc (36.3 percent) can be a game-changer for Alvernia. He may be heavily relied upon later in the game if Albright shuts down the inside game or if the big men run into foul trouble.

A final player to watch for Alvernia is freshman guard Lamont Clark. The five-foot, 10-inch Parkesburg, Pa. native has contributed defensively off the bench in all 14 games, totaling 17 steals which places him third on the team.

Alvernia was beaten in the first round of the NCAA tournament last year by Randolph-Macon, who fell to the Lions in the final of this year's Albright Tip-Off Tournament.