READING, Pa. -- Junior Evan Ward scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as Albright defeated league-leading Lycoming 71-55 in a Commonwealth Conference game on Saturday in the Bollman Center.

Lycoming (15-7, 10-3 Commonwealth) came into the game riding a five-game winning streak, but Albright limited the Warriors to just 35.7 percent shooting from the floor to avenge an overtime loss in Williamsport, Pa., earlier this season.

Albright, which improved to 9-11 overall and 5-7 in conference play, finds itself right in the thick of the race for the Commonwealth Tournament. Hood currently occupies the fifth, and final spot, in the postseason tournament with a 6-6 record but the Lions remained one game behind the Blazers with their victory over the Warriors.

Ward led four players in double figures for the Lions as he was 6-of-9 from the floor and 3-of-4 from the free throw line. Omari Ringgold reached double figures for the eighth consecutive game by scoring 15 points and DeJuan Smith had 14 points and Evan Dunn tied his career high with 13 points.

Malcolm Covington led Lycoming with 13 points and was the only Warrior to reach double figures.

Both teams struggled shooting from the floor in the first half as the Lions held a 22-21 lead at the intermission.

Albright held a 19-12 lead after Dunn converted a layup with 6:37 to play in the opening half, but the Warriors would mount a comeback.

Eric Ishman capped a 9-0 run with a three-pointer that gave Lycoming a 21-19 lead, but Ward connected from half court at the first-half buzzer giving the Lions a 22-21 lead.

After Covington briefly gave the Warriors the lead with the opening basket of the second half, Albright took the lead for good on a layup by Thomas Vazzana with 19:14 to play in the game.

After the Warriors cut the Albright lead to 35-31 with 13:27 to play, the Lions responded with back-to-back three-pointers from Vince Lombardi and Ringgold to take a 41-31 lead with 12:06 to play in the game.

Albright extended the lead to 50-36 when Dunn tossed in a desperation three-pointer with 6:54 to play in the game.

A Covington layup got Lycoming to within 52-44 at the 4:22 mark of the second half, but Smith answered with a three-pointer which ignited a 7-2 run that upped the Albright lead to 59-46 with 3:06 to play.

Albright took its largest lead of the game at 71-53 when Johnathan Amoroso scored in the paint with 43 seconds left in the game.

Albright returns to action on Wednesday (Feb. 11) when it visits Messiah for an 8 p.m. Commonwealth Conference game.