No. 14 Men's Basketball Wins Opener, Downs Lock Haven, 74-50
Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Nov. 15, 2008) – Senior guard Nick Carter (Huntington Station, N.Y.) scored a game-high 25 points and added eight rebounds as the Pioneers used a 22-4 run in the first half to jump to a big lead and roll to a non-conference victory over the Bald Eagles of Lock Haven University.
The game was the season opener for both teams as the Pioneers, ranked 14th in the NABC preseason poll and 10th in the Sporting News Division II preseason poll, improved to 1-0 and won their season opener for the third straight year under head coach Tim Cluess. The Bald Eagles fall to 0-1 with the loss.
Lock Haven scored the first basket of the game as Billy Arre hit a three-pointer at 19:25. The Pioneers answered right back with a Kenny Burkes (Suitland, Md.) jumper, but LHU's Christian Warren's layup but the Bald Eagles up 5-2. Lyndon Daniel (St. George's, Grenada) hit a jumper to pull the Pioneers to 5-4, but a jumper by Eric Brennan pushed the Lock Haven lead back to three. Three consecutive field goals by the Pioneers gave Post the 10-7 lead, but another Brennan jumper made the game a one-point contest, 10-9.
However, a 14-0 run by the Pioneers opened up a 15 point lead. The run started with an offensive rebound by Gilbert Montalvo (Astoria, N.Y.), who sent a quick pass to Carter, who found Jonathan Schmidt with another quick pass for a layup at 15:35.
Schmidt completed a four-point conversion at 13:35 as he swished a three pointer and was fouled on the shot. He converted the free throw to put the Pioneers up 18-9.
A layup by Kevin Spann (West Babylon, N.Y.) capped the run, giving the Pioneers a 24-9 advantage with 10:26 remaining.
Carter's buzzer-beater from half-court gave the Pioneers a 42-28 advantage heading into halftime.
The second half saw the Pioneers firmly in control despite only shooting seven percent from three point-range in the half. Carter scored 18 of his 25 points in the second half to pace the Pioneers, who held a 52-36 advantage on the glass.
CWP shot 43.8% from the floor (28-for-64) and made 15-of-24 free throw attempts. The Bald Eagles shot 31.7 from the field (19-of-61).
Schmidt joined Carter in double figures with 12 points, including a 7-9 effort from the charity stripe. James Tchana (Douala, Cameroon) pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. Schmidt and Montalvo each added five assists.
The Bald Eagles were led by Arre's double-double, as he pulled down 11 rebounds and scored 21 points. Also in double figures for LHU was Brennan with 12 points.
The Pioneers return to action as the take on Millersville University next Saturday, Nov. 22, in a 3 p.m. start.