GLENSIDE, Pa., Thursday, Feb. 9, 2011– Despite being down by double digits at seven different times and only holding a lead once during the game, Arcadia's Men's basketball team (5-16 Overall 0-11 Commonwealth) put in one of its gutsiest efforts of the season, but ended up losing to the Lions of Albright College (15-7 Overall 7-4 Commonwealth) by a final of 62-58. The win gives Albright a much needed conference win as they close in on a playoff berth and it give them a season sweep of the Knights, following a 72-59 victory in Reading in mid-January.
The Lions looked to be pulling away from the Knights from the start of the game as they jumped out to a game high 11-point lead at the 12:32 mark of the first half, only allowing the Knights three field goals up until that point. The lead though was not enough for Arcadia as they received a spark from their bench as Mike Fitzpatrick '14 and Colin McCarthy '12 came into the game and were able to help fuel the Knights late half surge. Fitzpatrick was able to use a smooth spin move at the foul line on a drive to the glass for two at the 2:36 mark to cut the lead to five points, and later added a trey from way downtown with 37 seconds to go to tie the game. Albright responded with a three-pointer and layup in the final 10 seconds to cling to a 35-30 halftime lead. The Knights were able to capitalize on 18 points off turnovers as well as 48.1 percent (13-27 FG) shooting from the field to climb back into the game. Fitzpatrick and McCarthy combined for 13 of Arcadia's 15 bench points of the half, helping outscore the Lions' bench by 11.
The second half began just like the first half did as Albright jumped out to an 11-point lead twice in the first seven minutes, outscoring Arcadia 14-8 from the beginning of the half until the 13:29 mark. The Knights, like they had done earlier, refused to quit and clawed their way back turning the double digit lead in a three point game with 7:51 to go in the half, outscoring the Lions 9-1 during the span. The two teams battled from that point on, but the Knights were unable to cut the lead to less than six the rest of the way, settling for the 62-58 setback. Arcadia also blanked Albright 8-0 in second chance points and in bench scoring for the half, but were out-rebounded 28-16. Arcadia played well on the defensive end, only allowing Albright 22 shots for the half, and even gathered five steals in the half, and helped force eight Lion turnovers.
The Knights were led by two double digit scorers for the game. McCarthy, in 31 minutes of play off the bench, put up 12 points as well as pulled down a team high seven rebounds for the game. Damien Palantino 'GR scored a team high 16 points including two treys in 28 minutes of play. Fitzpatrick added two more points in the second half to finish with nine. Albright was paced by game high scorer Matt Ashcroft who put up 25 points as well as Zac Shaeffer who down three treys and finished with 16 points and also dealt out a game high six assists.
A Saturday night trip to Messiah awaits the Knights who are still working to earn their first conference win of the year. In their previous meeting in January, the Falcons defeated the Knights by a 64-55 final despite 16 points from junior Jason Thompson and 11 points from first-year Eric O'Hora. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. as Arcadia looks to play as well as it did tonight to spoil Messiah's chances of playing in this year's postseason.
