Hot Shooting First Half Propels Lions Past Bobcats

ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend men's basketball team earned a 76-51 victory over Pitt-Greensburg in the Junker Center Saturday afternoon.

Score: Penn State Behrend 76, Pitt-Greensburg 51

Records: Penn State Behrend (11-5, 6-3 AMCC), Pitt-Greensburg (7-10, 6-4 AMCC)

Key Moments:

* In the first 10 minutes of the game, the Lions knocked down a single game record seven straight three-pointers to take a 24-10 lead
* Behrend finished the first half with 39 points, 36 of those points were from beyond the arc
* Matthew McDonough (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) and Tommy DiRienzo (Pittsburgh, PA/Bethel Park) each knocked down four triples to lead the Lions with 12 first half points, while Matt Niland (Erie, PA/Fairview) knocked down a season-high three three-pointers for nine points in the first frame
* The Lions continued to extend its lead in the second half, taking their biggest lead of 27 (56-29) with nine minutes remaining
* Behrend secured its 11^th overall victory and sixth conference win with a 76-51 triumph on Saturday
* McDonough scored a game-high 23 points, shooting 6-15 from deep
* DiRienzo registered his fourth double-double of the year, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds. He also dished out a game-high six assists
* Niland chipped in a season-high 13 points and delivered four assists, while RJ Marsh (State College, PA/Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy) and Michael Sopko (New Castle, PA/Neshannock) each grabbed six rebounds
* Off the bench, Mason Blankenberg (Ontario, NY/Wayne) added eight points and four rebounds
* For the Bobcats, Trent Rozich led the team with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Jeremiah Crockett tallied 10 points
* Behrend's defense held Pitt-Greensburg's leading scorer Matthew Marinchak (18.6 ppg) to only nine points
* As a team, the Lions outrebound the Bobcats (37-22) and recorded more assists (18-6)

Up Next:

* The Lions travel to Carlow on Wednesday, Jan. 24. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m.