Behrend's Men's Basketball Advances to Tournament Title Game
Penn State Behrend (2-1) defeated Bethany, 71-66, on the
opening night of
the Behrend Tournament in the Junker Center on Friday, November 21.
In the first half Behrend trailed 22-19 with 7:49 to play. Senior Drew Seker
(Ellicott City, MD/Centennial) made a baseline drive to get the blue and
white within one. Then Tom Newman's (Girard/Northwestern) jumper at the six
minute mark provided Behrend with only its third advantage of the half.
Seker immediately turned a Bethany turnover into a long distance
three-pointer and followed it with another three after a Bethany lay-up to
give the Behrend Lions a 29-24 lead.
Behrend entered the break with a ten-point lead as the Bison was held to 38% from the field, 21% from three-point territory, and made only one of two at the line. Seker led the offense with 17 first half points on a perfect four-for-four from the field and was seven of seven at the charity-stripe.
In the final twenty minutes the Bison managed to nail seven three point attempts and push within four points of the lead (69-66) with twenty-two seconds to play, but Behrend pulled out the 71-66 win by connecting on 17 of 21 at the line.
Seeker led Behrend with 17, while Adam Kaiser (Erie/Cathedral Prep)
added 16 and Adam Potter (Pittsburgh/Mt. Lebanon) posted 15. Tyler
Morando's 17 points led Bethany.
In the early game Nazareth went to the half with a 42-41 lead in an up-tempo
opening pace to begin the tournament. St. Mary's responded by outscoring
Nazareth, 49-33 in the second period, en route to the 90-75 win. St. Mary's
will play Behrend in Saturday's 3:00 p.m. championship contest, while
Nazareth and Bethany are slated for the 1:00 p.m. consolation game.