GWYNEDD VALLEY, Pa. – The Albright Lions Men's Basketball team saw its season end in the ECAC Tournament quarterfinals as they fell 84-62 to Gwynedd Mercy on early Friday afternoon.
With the loss, the Lions will conclude its 2019-20 season with a 16-12 record. Meanwhile, the Griffins improve to 21-7 overall and will face the winner of the New Jersey City/Baruch game in the semifinal round on Saturday afternoon.
Junior
Isaiah Harris led the Lions with a team-high 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, while grabbing four rebounds and two assists. Classmate
Samuel Majekodunmi posted 11 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals in the loss.
Sidney Brown was the last player in double-figures for the Lions with 10 points, while sophomore
Corey Simmons posted eight points off the bench behind going 3-of-3 from the field.
Harris scored the first two points of the game to put Albright up 2-0 in the opening minute before the Griffins went on a 9-2 run to take a 9-4 lead at the 17:59-mark. A three-pointer from Majekodunmi pulled the Lions within 9-7, but Gwynedd Mercy answered with a 17-4 run to take a 26-11 lead at the 10:12-mark of the first half. The Griffins extended its lead to as many as 17 points in the first half at 34-17 with 4:29 left in the first half. However, the Lions began to make a comeback as they closed the first half on a 14-4 run to make it a 38-31 Griffin advantage at halftime.
The teams traded baskets to open the second half as the Lions were unable to get within seven points of the Griffins. Two free throws from Majekodunmi at the 15:57-mark of the second half made it a 45-38 game before Gwynedd Mercy went on a 9-2 run to take a 54-40 lead at the 12:40-mark. Albright would get within nine points one last time at 59-50 with 7:55 left in regulation, but would get no closer to the Griffins the rest of the way. Gwynedd Mercy went on an 11-3 run to go up 70-53 at the 5:04-mark, and scored the final eight points of the game.
Albright shot 36.5 percent (23-of-63) from the field after shooting just 30.6 percent in the second half. The Lions went just 5-of-22 (22.7%) from beyond the arc, and shot 11-of-18 (61.1%) from the free throw line. Meanwhile, the Griffins shot 44.6 percent (29-of-65) from the field and 28 percent (7-of-25) from beyond the arc. Gwynedd Mercy shot a solid 19-of-22 (86.4%) from the free throw line, while holding a sizable 51-27 rebounding advantage. The Griffins got 27 points from its bench as well.
Rich Dunham led the Griffins with a game-high 25 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the field, while tallying a line of six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Nathaniel Walker posted 15 points on 6-of-8 from the field, and grabbed six rebounds along with three assists. Jordan Perkins added 10 points off the bench for the Griffins, while Donaven Spencer grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
