ANNVILLE, Pa. – For the second-straight game, the Albright men's basketball team turned a close game at the half into a big victory when it defeated Lebanon Valley, 86-76, on the road on Saturday afternoon. The win puts the Lions in sole possession of second place, just a game behind of first-place Lycoming in the MAC Commonwealth standings.

The Lions went on an 11-2 run just past the midway point of the first half to turn an 18-13 deficit into a 24-20 lead. Brandon Lindsay and Samuel Majekodunmi each hit three pointers to start that run, and Lindsay a three-point play before a Jared Rappoport dunk to cap the stretch.

Lindsay scored five more on a 7-0 Albright run late in the half, and it helped the Lions take a 40-39 lead into halftime. Lindsay led Albright with 27 points on the day. He went 10-for-17 from the field including making 6-of-7 from three-point range.

The key stretch for the Lions came very early in the second half with the score tied at 42. The Lions' quick-strike offense scored 12 consecutive points in just 2:18 to give either team its first double-digit lead of the game. Lindsay opened the run with a layup, and DeJuan Smith scored six of the next eight points for the Lions. Garrett Oplinger capped the streak with a bucket on a feed from Smith to give the Lions a 54-42 lead with 15:52 to play.

The Albright lead hit a high-water mark of 18 points on several occasions later in the half. Majekodunmi extended the lead to 18 for the final time with his jumper to make it 74-56 with 7:36 left in the second half.

Lebanon Valley made things interesting with a 15-3 run following Majekodunmi's basket. A three-point play for the Dutchmen made it 77-71 with 3:24 to play. The lead never tightened to fewer than six, though, as the Lions went 5-for-6 from the stripe in the final 2:03.

Smith recorded his fourth consecutive double-double and his sixth in his past seven games with his 24 points and 11 rebounds. Along with four assists and a steal, he went 12-for-13 from the free throw line. Saturday's performance comes off a 16-point, 11-rebound and six-assist effort in a win over Hood on Wednesday night.

The Albright defense, ranked fifth in the nation in three-point field goal defense at 29 percent entering Saturday's game, held Lebanon Valley to just 3-for-18 (16.7 percent) from beyond the arc.

Albright returns home in its next game, hosting crosstown-rival Alvernia at Bollman Center on Wednesday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.