READING, Pa. -- Junior Omari Ringgold scored 20 points, but Alvernia rode a hot-shooting first half to a 75-65 MAC Commonwealth victory over the Lions on Wednesday in the Bollman Center.

Just like in its last game against Arcadia, Albright fell behind early and could not make up the deficit despite a strong second-half performance.

The Crusaders, who improved to 9-8 overall and 5-3 in the MAC Commonwealth, shot 63.0 percent from the floor in the first half and opened up a 43-23 lead at the intermission.

Albright, which dropped to 6-11 on the season and 3-5 in conference play, cut the lead to 10 points in the second half but could never get the margin under double figures.

Alvernia was led by Marquis Marshall who scored 27 points and collected 11 rebounds, while George Sapp finished with 13 points and four rebounds. Alex Shippen added 12 points and Charles Cooper finished with 11 points for the Crusaders.

Albright also received 17 points from DeJuan Smith and a career-high 14 points off the bench from Evan Dunn.

Alvernia broke the game open midway through the first half.

Leading 27-19 after a layup by Dunn, Alvernia ripped off a 12-2 run to extend the lead to 41-21.

Mike Miller started the run with a pair of free throws and Cooper and Marshall followed with three-pointers that pushed the lead to 35-19 with 4:38 to play in the first half.

Jayson Clark ended the spurt with a basket for the Lions, but Shippen scored two baskets and Cooper also scored inside to extend the lead to 41-21 with 1:50 to play before halftime.

Ringgold trimmed the lead to 41-23 with a jumper, but Marshall buried a jumper with 43 seconds to play in the first giving the Crusaders a 43-23 cushion at the break.

Albright, which shot 55.6 percent from the floor in the second half, chipped away at the Alvernia lead and got back into the game midway through the second period.

A three-pointer by Jaylin Calloway ignited a 7-0 Lions run that cut the Alvernia lead to 51-41 with 12:41 to play in the second period.

But Miller responded with a three-pointer to increase the margin to 54-41 with 12:19 to play.

Dunn scored inside to bring the Lions to within 54-43, but Reid Hoff drained a three-pointer to extend the lead to 57-43 with 11:03 left in the game.

A three-pointer by Cooper helped Alvernia push the margin back to 17 points at 63-46 before Albright rallied with a three-pointer by Smith a dunk by Dunn to climb to within 63-51 with 6:50 to play.

But a pair of free throws by Marshall and a layup off an offensive rebound pushed the lead to 67-53 with 3:26 left in the game.

Albright got to within 10 points on two occasions, but could never get closer for the remainder of the game.

Albright will return to action on Saturday (Jan. 23) when it hosts Lebanon Valley at 2 p.m. in a MAC Commonwealth game in the Bollman Center.