READING, Pa. – DeJuan Smith scored 19 points while Fred Rowles recorded his second double-double of the season, but the Albright men's basketball team dropped a MAC Commonwealth contest to Alvernia, 70-63, on Wednesday night. Rowles finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Alvernia (10-7, 4-4) led by as many as 13 points in the second half and had a 12-point lead after a dunk by Marquis Marshall made it 67-55 with just 1:29 to play. As it has done several times this season, Albright made a late push. Omari Ringgold countered on the next possession with a three pointer after an offensive rebound by Jaylin Calloway. Two possessions later, Smith's layup made it 67-60 Alvernia with 50 seconds to play.

After an Alvernia free throw, the Lions cut the lead even more when Rowles connected on a three pointer to make it 68-63 with 26 seconds to play. After an Albright timeout, Rowles stepped in front of a Reid Hoff pass and found Smith in transition, but his three pointer that would have trimmed the lead to a single possession was no good. Alvernia clinched the victory with a pair of free throws in the final seconds.

The game stayed mostly within a possession through the first half and into the second. The score was tied on six occasions and the lead changed hands three times. Ringgold's layup had Albright back to within four at 49-45 with 11:27 to play, but Alvernia pushed the lead into double figures with an 11-2 run to make it 60-47 on a three-point play by Marshall with 7:27 left. The scored stayed there until Calvert Gantz scored with 4:31 left to make it 60-49.

Albright (7-10, 5-3) assisted on 14 of its 25 baskets while committing a season-low six turnovers. Albright outrebounded Alvernia, 44-36.

Smith added eight rebounds, five assists and three steals to his 19 points. Ringgold finished with 11 points and Gantz had 10 points, seven rebounds and a pair of blocks.

Albright hits the road to face Widener on Saturday at 3 p.m. The Lions won the first meeting, 77-69, on Dec. 7.