READING, Pa. – Not only did the Albright women's basketball team picked up a 74-60 conference victory over crosstown rival Alvernia but senior Shannon Thomas scored her 1,000th career point to become the 15th player in program history to achieve this honor.

The Lions, who have nine straight over the Crusaders, improved to 13-4 and 8-0 in the MACC, while the Crusaders drop to 1-16 and 1-7 in the conference.

Thomas, who needed just 14 points going into Wednesday, closed out the conference match-up with a team-high 19 points. The senior was solid for the Lions making 7 of her 16 field goal attempts, which included four three-pointers. Thomas went 1-of-2 at the line as well as added two rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal.

Alysha Lofton, Nina Mazzarelli, and MiKayla Lea all finished the game in double-digits. Lofton was the lone player to finish the game with a double-double as the junior totaled 14 points and 11 rebounds. Mazzarelli scored 17 points for the Lions while Lea fell just shy of a double-double with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Maya Cooper finished with a game-high 23 points, and Miranda Hoover added 18 to pace the Crusaders.

The Lions used a 10-0 run to quickly take control of the first quarter. During this run, Mazzarelli scored five points to lead the Lions to a 17-6 lead with 4:20 remaining. Albright's defense stepped up and limited the Crusaders to four points in the final minutes as the Lions took a 21-10 lead into the first break.

Cooper and Alvernia battled back in the second quarter outscoring the Lions 20-10. The Crusaders, who shot 50% from the field, were led by Cooper as she went 4-of-6, including 2-of-3 from behind the arc, to score 10 points. Despite Alvernia's hot shooting, the Lions took a one-point lead into halftime.

After the intermission, the Lions took control of the momentum of the second half starting late in the third quarter. Thomas got things started with 5:33 left in the third when she laid the ball into the net for her 1,000th point to hand Albright a 43-47 lead. After both teams traded baskets, the Lions scored the final eight points of the quarter and the first four of the last to take a 13-point lead.

The Crusaders stopped the run with a three-pointer, but were unable to defend the Lions in the final quarter. Albright kept Alvernia at bay by holding a double-digit lead in the final 10 minutes of the game, including a game-high 17-point lead with a minute remaining. Amara-Niani Jackson made a lay with 11 seconds remaining to seal a 74-60 win.

Albright returns to action this Saturday when they travel to Widener University for a 1 p.m. conference match-up.