READING, Pa. – The Albright men's basketball team clinched a home playoff game in the upcoming MAC Commonwealth tournament with its 85-73 victory at Messiah on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Lions can finish no worse than second in the conference, guaranteeing a MAC Commonwealth semifinal game at Bollman Center on Wednesday, Feb. 21.

Albright (18-5, 11-4) shot 54.9 percent for the game, and it also made 52.9 percent (9-for-17) of its three-point shots. Brandon Lindsay made three of those nine threes to give him 72 makes for the season, tying the school record. Lindsay tied three other players with 72 makes: Pat Pruitt (1989-90), Zac Shaeffer (2009-10) and Matt Ashcroft (2009-10).

DeJuan Smith led Albright scorers with 30 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Smith made 3-of-6 three pointers while making all nine of his free throws. As a team, Albright shot 90.9 percent (20-for-22) from the line.

Albright never trailed in the game after starting with an 8-0 lead in the first 1:20 of action. Fred Rowles hit a layup to open the scoring on the first possession of the game, and DeLascio Dancy and Lindsay each had three pointers on the next two possession to stake the Lions to an early eight-point lead. Messiah never pulled the game back into a tie, let alone take a lead. Albright led for the final 39:49 after Rowles' bucket 11 seconds into play.

The lead stayed in single digits for most of the first half. In the final three minutes, however, Isaiah Harris scored twice in the paint and Smith hit a pair of three pointers to send the Lions into the half with a 41-28 lead.

Messiah (14-9, 8-6) made a move to cut the Albright lead back to six points after three pointers on successive possessions by Matt Hess and Colin Sareyka. Sareyka's three pointer made it 50-44 Albright with 13:01 left in regulation.

The teams traded buckets after Sareyka's three pointer to keep it at a six-point lead, but the Lions scored the next eight points to put the lead safely back into double digits. Samuel Majekodunmi opened the run with a three-point play, and Smith followed with two free throws and a three pointer to push the lead to 60-46 with 10:03 to play. The lead hit its apex of 20 points with 5:52 left, and it stayed in double figures for the remainder of play.

Rowles stuffed the box score with 14 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals. Smith missed his sixth-straight double-double by just one rebound, finishing with nine. Lindsay had 13 points, and Majekodunmi finished with 10.

Albright moved a half-game ahead of Lycoming for first place in the MAC Commonwealth with the win. The Lions' lone remaining regular season game comes at home against Lycoming next Saturday for Senior Day. That game will determine the top seed in the MAC Commonwealth tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.