READING, Pa. – Freshman Jayson Clark scored a career-high 20 points, including six points down the stretch, as Albright notched its first win of the 2015-16 season by holding off Penn State Berks 73-70 on Wednesday at the Beaver Community Center.

After Penn State Berks had rallied to tie the game at 62-62 with 2:29 to play in the game, Clark converted back-to-back baskets and then assisted on a dunk by Calvert Gantz that gave the Lions a 68-62 lead with 1:08 to play.

Baba Waples trimmed the lead to 68-64 with a jumper, but Clark converted a pair of free throws to increase the Lions lead to 70-64 with 34 seconds left to play.

Montrell Gilliam converted a layup and following an Albright missed free throw Dameon Nixon scored inside to bring the Nittany Lions to within 70-68 with 13 seconds to play.

Omari Ringgold made one of two free throw attempts to up the Albright lead to 71-68, but Nelson Hine scored on a layup to cut the lead to 71-70 with five seconds to play.

Ringgold was able to make a pair of free throws and Waples misfired on a three-pointer at the buzzer and Albright escaped with the victory.

Clark was 8-of-10 from the floor and 4-of-6 from the free throw line to finish with 20 points. He also added four assists and two rebounds.

Ringgold finished with a team-high 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor and Evan Ward finished with his first double-double of the season with 11 points and 14 rebounds.

Albright, which never trailed in the game, improved to 1-2 on the season. Penn State Berks dropped to 0-2 on the year with the loss.

Waples led all scorers with 24 points, while Gilliam added 15 points for Penn State Berks.

The Lions got off to the fast start they were looking for as Ringgold began the game with a three-pointer and Ward added three points as Albright took an early 8-0 lead with 16:08 to play in the first half.

A layup and a free throw from Clark and a basket by DeJuan Smith stretched the Lions lead to 24-14 with 8:34 to play before halftime.

A dunk by Evan Dunn with 5:10 to play in the first kept the Lions lead at 30-20, but the Nittany Lions would rally.

Waples, who had 11 first-half points, ignited a 6-2 run to close the first half with a three-pointer.

Ringgold had 10 first-half points as Albright took a 32-26 lead into the intermission.

Albright stretch the lead to 36-26 with 16:40 remaining in the game when Ringgold drilled a three-pointer.

Penn State Berks answered with a three-pointer and a layup to cut the Albright lead to 36-31 with 16:00 to play in the second half.

Albright responded with a 9-0 run, which featured a three-pointer and a jumper from Ringgold, to take its largest lead of the game at 45-31 with 13:18 to play.

Penn State Berks answered with a 6-0 run, keyed by a Waples three-pointer, to climb to within 45-37 at the 12:07 mark of the period.

After back-to-back baskets by Clark and Patrick Burke upped the lead to 49-37, Penn State Berks reeled off another 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 49-43 with 9:55 to play.

Following another dunk by Dunn, Gilliam converted back-to-back baskets to bring the Nittany Lions to within 51-47 with 8:50 left in the game.

Albright held a 62-57 lead following two free throws from Ward, but Gilliam hit a jumper and a three-pointer to tie the contest at 62-62 with 2:29 remaining in the game setting the stage for the heroics of Clark and Ringgold.

Albright will look to reach the .500 mark on Saturday (Nov. 21) when it visits Penn State Harrisburg for a 2 p.m. non-conference contest.