READING, Pa. – Reigning MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
DeJuan Smith led the Lions with a game-high 24 points and 10 rebounds but the Albright men's basketball team fell to Lycoming 76-70 Wednesday evening at the Bollman Center.
The Lions, who suffered their first conference loss of the season, drop to 7-8 and 5-1 in the MAC Commonwealth, while the Warriors improve to 14-2 and 6-1 in the conference.
Smith scored ten of his points in the first half to help the Lions keep pace with a quick Lycoming team. He scored eight of the team's first 15 points as the Lions drew within two points of the Warriors. A three-pointer from
Brandon Lindsay with 10:01 on the clock pulled the Lions within one before Lycoming's defense stalled the Lions. The Warriors held Albright without a bucket for nearly five and a half minutes. During this time Lycoming extended their lead to 10 points. A jumper from Smith along with baskets from
Garrett Oplinger and
Jared Rappoport kept the Lions within eight as they trailed 36-28 heading into halftime.
Fred Rowles and Smith combined for 29 of Albright's 42 points in the second half. Rowles was a perfect 3-of-3 from behind the arc as well 6-of-9 from the free throw line to tally 15 points. He also nabbed seven rebounds. Smith scored 14 points along with six rebounds, one assist and one block.
Albright trailed by as many as 18 points in the second half before cutting the deficit in half in the final minutes. Smith and Rowles made back-to-back threes to make it 74-66 with 1:59 remaining in the half. A Lycoming turnover and foul put Rowles on the line, who drained all three free throw shots to bring the Lions within five with a little over a minute remaining in regulation. Rowles would return to the line with 22 seconds on the clock and make it a four-point game as Albright trailed 74-70. Lycoming would make two of its final four free throws in the final seconds to give it a six-point victory.
The Lions return to action when they travel to Annville, Pa., to take on Lebanon Valley on Saturday night at 5 p.m.
