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2008-09 Game Summaries
Feb. 28 (Landmark Conference final): Susquehanna 75, Scranton 80 (OT)
Feb. 25 (Landmark Conference semifinals): Susquehanna 82, USMMA 71
Feb. 21: Susquehanna 72, Juniata 58
Feb. 15 (Senior Day): Susquehanna 81, Drew 66
Feb. 14: Susquehanna 58, USMMA 55
Feb. 8: Susquehanna 78, Catholic 83
Feb. 7: Susquehanna 76, Goucher 50
Jan. 31: Susquehanna 77, Scranton 74
Jan. 30: Susquehanna 71, Moravian 57
Jan. 25: Susquehanna 83, Goucher 74
Jan. 24: Susquehanna 84, Catholic 72
Jan. 17: Susquehanna 64, USMMA 66
Jan. 16: Susquehanna 59, Drew 58
Jan. 10: Susquehanna 70, Moravian 64
Jan. 9: Susquehanna 77, Scranton 86
Jan. 3 (Sponaugle New Year's Tournament championship game): Susquehanna 79, Franklin & Marshall 81
Jan. 2 (Sponaugle New Year's Tournament first round): Susquehanna 75, Edgewood 69
Dec. 16: Susquehanna 75, Bridgewater (Va.) 85
Dec. 14: Susquehanna 63, Lycoming 55
Dec. 6: Susquehanna 64, Juniata 41
Dec. 2: Susquehanna 60, Misericordia 67
Nov. 29: Susquehanna 65, Wilkes 53
Nov. 22 (Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip-Off Tournament championship game): Susquehanna 80, King's, Pa. 88 (OT)
Nov. 21 (Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip-Off Tournament first round): Susquehanna 70, Penn College 61
Nov. 16 (White Rose City Classic championship game): Susquehanna 59, Neumann 57
Nov. 15 (White Rose City Classic first round): Susquehanna 76, Misericordia 67
Feb. 28 (Landmark Conference final): Susquehanna 75, Scranton 80 (OT) Box Score
SCRANTON, Pa. -- Susquehanna University’s senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) registered his fourth straight double-double and 16th of the season, but visiting Susquehanna lost to The University of Scranton in overtime, 80-75, in the Landmark Conference championship game at John Long Center on Feb. 28.
Patch, one of 10 finalists for the men’s 2009 Jostens Trophy--awarded to the Division III Player of the Year--scored a team-high 19 points against Scranton (21-6 overall) and pulled down a game- and career-high 22 rebounds. He also had an assist and a block for Susquehanna (18-8 overall).
SU was the Landmark championships tournament’s No. 2 seed. Scranton was the No. 1 seed. The Landmark champion does not receive an automatic invitation to NCAA Division III championships until the 2009-10 academic year. However, Landmark teams can qualify for the national championship tournament via one of three Pool B bids. Thus, both teams will be considered for an invitation to the NCAAs. The bracket will be announced on Monday.
The score was 35-33 after the first half, but this game’s major dramatics occurred late in the second half and in overtime.
SU was down, 61-51, with just 6 minutes, 8 seconds to play in the second half but came back with a 13-2 run, capped off by a tip-in by sophomore forward Hunter McKain (Ligonier, Pa./Shady Side Academy), that put the Crusaders ahead, 64-63 with 1:10 left.
Scranton responded to that with a pair of free throws to go back on top, 65-64, with 51 seconds to play.
After the Crusaders missed a layup, they fouled to send a Royals player to the line. The Scranton shooter missed the first of two shots but made the second for a 66-64 gap with just 31 ticks left.
SU came down the floor and got the ball underneath to McKain, where he was fouled. McKain went to the stripe with the game on the line and calmly sank both free throws in the front of the Scranton student section to tie the score at 66 with five seconds to go. The Royals could only get off a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer, and the shot fell short.
Scranton opened the overtime period with five straight points, highlighted by an old-fashioned three-point play that made it 71-66 after just 38 seconds had elapsed in the five-minute extra period.
SU’s junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) came right back at Scranton with five straight points to tie it at 71 with 3:29 left.
After a couple of Royals turnovers, SU went on top, 73-71, on a Patch layup with 2:01 left.
Scranton then went to the line and hit just the first of two shots, but the second rebound went out-of-bounds last touched by Susquehanna. On the ensuing play, a Royal stepped out to hit a three-pointer to take the lead back at 75-73 with 1:22 remaining.
The teams traded possessions after that, and with 17 seconds to play, Susquehanna’s senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) took a Majors pass for a layup and tied the game at 75 with 17 seconds left.
Scranton hurriedly brought the ball down the other way and found a man open in the corner for a three-point attempt. The shot swished it home, and all of a sudden, it was 78-75 with nine seconds to play.
SU pushed the ball back into Scranton territory where Majors tried a tough three with a defender in his face. The shot missed, and the Royals collected the rebound.
SU was forced to foul to stay in it, but two Scranton free throws with two seconds left iced it.
SU’s freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) scored 15 points on the strength of a team-high three three-pointers and added five assists, four rebounds and a game-high three steals. McDevitt tallied 12 points, three rebounds, five assists and two steals. Majors put together 10 points, two assists and two steals.
Feb. 25 (Landmark Conference semifinals): Susquehanna 82, USMMA 71 Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. -- Senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) registered his third straight double-double and 15th of the season to help lead Susquehanna University to an 82-71 win over the visiting United States Merchant Marine Academy in a Landmark Conference championships semifinals game at Orlando W. Houts Gymnasium on Feb. 25.
Susquehanna (18-7 overall) is the Landmark playoffs’ No. 2 seed and will travel to No. 1 The University of Scranton for the conference championship game on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 7:30 p.m. Scranton defeated No. 4 The Catholic University of America, 71-64 in overtime, also on Feb. 25. Both Catholic and the No. 3 USMMA (15-11 overall) are now out of the Landmark postseason. The Landmark champion does not receive an automatic invitation to the NCAA Division III championships until the 2009-10 academic year. However, Landmark teams can qualify for the national championship tournament via one of three Pool B bids.
Patch, one of 10 finalists for the men’s 2009 Jostens Trophy--awarded to the Division III Player of the Year--scored a game- and career-high 29 points in this game and collected a game-high 14 rebounds. He made eight of 13 field goals, including two thunderous slam dunks, and 13 of 14 free throws and added two assists, two blocks and two steals.
SU’s freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) scored 20 points on the strength of a game-high four three-pointers (on six attempts). Spencer made seven of nine field goals and both of his free throws and added a rebound and two steals. Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) scored 11 points, grabbed three boards, made a steal and dished out a game-high six assists. Senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) scored 10 points and had four rebounds, five assists and a steal. Sophomore forward Hunter McKain (Ligonier, Pa./Shady Side Academy) came off the bench to block a game-high three shots and collect one point, one assist and three rebounds.
The Crusaders blocked seven shots, while the Mariners blocked none. SU made 52.2 percent of its field goals to just 30.8 percent for the USMMA.
This was third meeting of the season between these two teams. They split the first two games with Susquehanna holding just a 122-121 edge in combined score. Much of the first half of this game was typical then, as the lead changed hands numerous times and neither team held momentum for very long.
That changed when Majors was fouled while making a three-pointer. He hit the ensuing free throw to complete the rare four-point play, and all of a sudden, Susquehanna led by eight points at 25-17 with 7 minutes, 31 seconds left until halftime.
That was the biggest lead of the first half for either team. The Crusaders held on for a 37-33 lead at the break.
Susquehanna never trailed nor was tied in the second half. Spencer got hot and went 3-for-4 from beyond the arc in the latter period to completely change the game. Most of his threes came from Majors’ assists. Majors, who leads the conference in assists and steals, had five assists in the second half alone.
The Crusaders held their biggest lead of the game at 80-68 with just 29 seconds left, but the Mariners were well within striking distance at 63-60 after a three-pointer with 7:43 left.
SU responded to that with a 10-2 run, capped off by a Majors-to-Spencer jumper with 3:51 left for a 73-62 lead that marked the beginning of the end.
**CORRECTED This win was Susquehanna’s first in a conference championships tournament since it defeated Lebanon Valley College, 73-61, on Feb. 26, 2003. Susquehanna lost to Elizabethtown College, 92-86, in the ensuing championship game on March 1 that year for its last appearance in a conference final. The Crusaders last won a conference tournament crown by defeating Albright College, 78-73, on Feb. 29, 1992.
Feb. 21: Susquehanna 72, Juniata 58 Box Score
HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Susquehanna University’s senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) slammed home a dunk for his 1,000th and 1,001st career points on his way to a game-high 27 points and 13 rebounds, and visiting Susquehanna beat Juniata College, 72-58, in a Landmark Conference game at Kennedy Sports and Recreation Center on Feb. 21.
This was the last regular-season game of the season for both Susquehanna (17-7, 11-3 Landmark) and Juniata (7-18, 5-9 Landmark). Juniata will miss the Landmark playoffs this season, but Susquehanna has earned the conference’s No. 2 seed and will host the No. 3 United States Merchant Marine Academy for a semifinals game on Wednesday, Feb. 25. The University of Scranton defeated Moravian College, 91-75, on Feb. 21 to earn the No. 1 seed. Scranton hosts No. 4 The Catholic University of America in the other semifinal on Feb. 25.
Patch became the 31st player in the history of Susquehanna men’s basketball to reach the 1,000-career-points milestone. He now has 1,019 career points, good for 27th in the school’s history. His double-double in this game was his second in a row and 14th of the season. Patch is averaging 17.0 points and 10.6 rebounds per game in the 2008-09 campaign. He made 12 of 20 field goals in this game, including a team-high two three-pointers (on three attempts) and added two assists, two steals and a block.
SU’s senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) also picked up a double-double by scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to go with two assists and two steals. McDevitt made all five of his free throws. Sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) was also 5-for-5 from the line. Cosgrove made six of seven shots from the field as part of 17 points and picked up six boards, an assist and a block. Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) dished out a game-high six assists, made a game-high four steals and collected a rebound.
Despite Patch’s milestone-inducing dunk, the first half belonged largely to Juniata. In fact, after Patch’s slam made the score 19-14 SU with 8:47 to play in the first period, the Eagles scored the next 17 points for a startling 31-19 lead with 2:34 on the clock. It was 37-26 Juniata at the break.
Susquehanna came out as a different team in the second half. The Crusaders opened the second frame on a 9-2 run that cut the score to 39-35 with 16:34 left.
SU held momentum after that, and Cosgrove’s free throw with 13:51 left tied the game for the first time since there was still 6:46 to play in the first half.
Cosgrove also hit the following free throw for a 44-43 Crusaders lead, but Juniata responded with a layup to go back up by one. McDevitt answered that with two free throws to give Susquehanna the lead back at 46-45 with 12:41 to play, and the Crusaders never trailed again.
After Juniata briefly tied the game again with a free throw that made it 46-46 with 12:07 left, McDevitt struck again with a game-changing three-pointer that made it 49-46 SU with 11:56 to play.
SU’s 14-point margin of victory was its largest lead of the game, as the Crusaders shot 57.1 percent from the floor in the second half, compared to Juniata’s 25.0. The Eagles missed all seven of their second-half three-pointers, while Susquehanna made three of five.
Feb. 15 (Senior Day): Susquehanna 81, Drew 66 Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. -- Susquehanna University’s sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) and senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) registered their third and 13th double-doubles of the season, respectively, to help lead the Crusaders to an 81-66 win over visiting Drew University in a Landmark Conference game on Senior Day at Orlando W. Houts Gymnasium on Feb. 15.
Cosgrove scored a team-high 15 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and collected an assist and a block for Susquehanna (16-7, 10-3 Landmark), which clinched at least one home game in the 2009 Landmark Conference championships. Patch scored 11 points and added 10 rebounds, two steals and a block against Drew (4-20, 2-11 Landmark). He has 992 career points.
SU and The University of Scranton are tied for first place in the Landmark standings with one conference game each still to play. Should the two teams remain tied for first after the regular season, the tiebreaker benefits Scranton, which has a better record than Susquehanna against immediately lower-seeded competition. Scranton hosts Moravian College on Feb. 21, while Susquehanna plays at Juniata College that same night. Both Juniata and Moravian will miss the playoffs this season. The Catholic University of America is the Landmark’s No. 4 seed. Should a three-way tie for first occur, SU would get the No. 2 seed.
SU’s freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) scored 14 points and had two rebounds and a team-high five assists. Freshman guard Brian Kerwin (Basking Ridge, N.J./Immaculata HS) came off the bench to hit both of his team-high two three-pointers on his way to 11 points and one rebound. Senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) was the fifth and final Crusaders player scoring in double figures. McDevitt just missed a double-double by tallying 10 points, nine boards, two assists, a block and a steal. Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) made his presence felt with two points, three assists and a game-high three steals.
Drew’s three-point shooting made the game interesting. The Rangers made nine of 15 three-pointers in the first half, which contributed largely to a 41-41 score at the break. Drew cooled off a bit in the second half and ended up 14 of 32 for the game from beyond the arc.
The Crusaders held a commanding edge on the boards, outrebounding the Rangers for the game, 42-29. SU also shot better overall from the field, making 51.6 percent of its shots to Drew’s 39.0.
The Rangers’ hot first-half shooting gave them a 41-33 lead with 2 minutes, 19 seconds left until halftime, but Susquehanna finished the first half on an 8-0 run to tie it.
The second half was all Susquehanna. Majors hit a layup following his steal of the opening Drew possession, and the Crusaders never trailed nor were tied again. SU led by 15 points at 75-60 with 3:28 to play and matched that margin again with the final score. An emphatic dunk by sophomore forward Hunter McKain (Ligonier, Pa./Shady Side Academy) with 23 seconds left were the game’s final points.
Feb. 14: Susquehanna 58, USMMA 55 Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. -- Susquehanna University’s senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) neared the 1,000-career-points plateau in leading Susquehanna with a game-high 18 points and a team-high nine rebounds to defeat the visiting United States Merchant Marine Academy, 58-55, in a Landmark Conference game at Orlando W. Houts Gymnasium on Feb. 14. Patch has 981 career points.
Entering their respective contests, Susquehanna (15-7, 9-3 Landmark) and the USMMA (13-10, 8-4 Landmark) were knotted with The University of Scranton in a three-way tie for first place in the Landmark. With both teams improving their records, Susquehanna and Scranton remain in a two-way tie to sit atop the conference. The USMMA falls to third and The Catholic University of America remains in fourth with a 7-5 conference record. Juniata College sits fifth with a 5-7 record.
It was a steal by senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) with only 4 minutes, 21 seconds remaining in the game that ultimately led to the Orange and Maroon heroics down the stretch. Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) fed freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) the ball with 4:18 remaining to bring the home-court crowd to their feet when he hit a three-pointer that put the Crusaders within one point of the Mariners.
The USMMA returned to the other end of the court only to fall short of a good basket before Majors drew a foul and sank both free throws to lead 52-51. The teams swapped a pair of buckets each and Susquehanna remained ahead by one, 56-55, with 1:59 lingering on the game clock.
The Crusaders were next to score when sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) swished the back-end of his free throws before McDevitt was sent to the line and hit one of two to bring SU to a 58-55 victory over the Mariners.
In the first period of play, the USMMA hit a three merely four minutes into the game to give the visiting squad a 7-6 lead. The Mariners would lead at one other point in the first, but it was Susquehanna that held a dominating 32-24 advantage at the break. SU kept that momentum and continued their dominance in the second until the Mariners tied the game up at 42 on a successful three-pointer with 10:05 remaining in play.
The USMMA controlled play for the next five minutes and led by as many as five before McDevitt forced a turnover and put the game back in the hands of Susquehanna for the win.
Spencer tallied 15 points for Susquehanna, while Cosgrove dropped 12 points and picked up a game-high two blocks. Majors led the game with eight assists.
Feb. 8: Susquehanna 78, Catholic 83 Box Score
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Susquehanna University's freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) scored a team-high 25 points on the strength of a game-high three three-pointers and added four rebounds, three assists and two steals, but visiting Susquehanna lost, 83-78, to The Catholic University of America in a Landmark Conference game at the Raymond A. Dufour Center on Feb. 8. Senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) poured in 18 points for Susquehanna (14-7, 8-3 Landmark) and had five rebounds, a block and two steals. Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) scored six points against Catholic (16-6, 7-4 Landmark), grabbed three boards and added a block, a steal and a team-high five assists.
Susquehanna took an early six-point lead after a Patch layup with 13 minutes, 22 seconds still to play in the first half made the score 16-10. Catholic went on a game-changing 19-2 run following that though to swing the score to 29-18 Cardinals with 7:44 remaining before halftime. Catholic maintained its momentum enough for a 38-31 advantage at the break.
The Crusaders could never draw even in the second half but brought the score to within two points four different times, the last of which after a Spencer layup with just 2:45 on the clock.
The Cardinals responded with the next six points for a 75-67 lead with 1:10 left.
SU wouldn't go away, as a three-pointer by senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) cut the score to 81-78 with 13 seconds left. Patch then quickly fouled, but Catholic sank both of its free throws with 10 seconds left for the game's final points.
Susquehanna came into the game tied with the United States Merchant Marine Academy for first place in the Landmark. The Crusaders, who have clinched a conference playoffs spot, are now in a three-way tie for first with the USMMA and The University of Scranton. Catholic is in the fourth and final playoffs spot.
Feb. 7: Susquehanna 76, Goucher 50 Box Score
TOWSON, Md. -- Senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) tallied game-highs of 23 points and nine rebounds to help lead visiting Susquehanna University to a 76-50 win over Goucher College in a Landmark Conference game at the Sports and Recreation Center on Feb. 7.
Patch made 10 of 14 field goals and added two assists, a block and a team-high two steals for Susquehanna (14-6, 8-2 Landmark), which clinched a Landmark playoffs spot with the win. Senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) made both of his game-high two three-pointers against Goucher (5-14, 3-7 Landmark) on his way to seven points, six rebounds and three assists. Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) dished out a game-high five assists and had three points, a rebound and a steal.
Though the score was lopsided, the game was actually much worse. Goucher shot 25.4 percent from the floor over both halves to the Crusaders’ 50.9. The Crusaders also outrebounded the Gophers, 50-35, for the game. SU shot a lights-out 67.9 percent from the field in the first half, including making six of eight three-pointers.
Patch scored the game’s first six points and SU’s first eight, as the Crusaders jumped out to an 8-2 lead just 3 minutes, 14 seconds into the first half. Everything that Susquehanna touched in the first period turned to gold, and soon, the score was 27-15 with 10:05 left before halftime. Susquehanna effectively ended the game with a devastating 17-0 run after that to swell the score to 44-15 with 4:46 remaining in the first.
The second half was played at even 27-27 clip, but Susquehanna held its biggest lead of the game when it went up by 37 points at 70-33 with only 6:46 to play in the contest.
The Crusaders are now guaranteed to be one of the four teams in the Landmark championships this season. Susquehanna is currently tied with the United States Merchant Marine Academy for first place.
Jan. 31: Susquehanna 77, Scranton 74 Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. -- Susquehanna University’s freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) drained four second-half three-pointers, including three straight threes in the final 4 minutes, 9 seconds, to help lead the host Crusaders to a dramatic 77-74 Landmark Conference win over The University of Scranton on “Orange Crush”/Pepsi Day 2009 at Orlando W. Houts Gymnasium on Jan. 31.
Spencer’s four three-pointers were a team-high for Susquehanna (13-6, 7-2 Landmark). The fan-favorite led all players with 26 points against Scranton (14-6, 6-3 Landmark) and added four assists, two steals and a rebound. He sunk eight of 10 free throws, including four of SU’s final six when the issue was still in doubt.
SU’s sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) posted his second double-double in the last three games by tallying 17 points and a game-high 12 rebounds to go with one block. Senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) tallied 14 points, eight rebounds, an assist, a block and three steals. Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) handed out a game-high nine assists, scored seven points, made three steals and grabbed a board.
The game seemed destined to go down to the wire with each team trading runs in the first half. Spencer’s running jumper with six seconds left in the opening period tied the game at 30, where it stayed through halftime. The game was tied a total of 14 times.
Neither team could escape the other in the second half, as there were no leads in the latter frame of more than four points until the last of three straight Spencer three-pointers that pushed the score to 69-62 with 2:26 to play in the game. Spencer took the contest over late in the second half. He scored 15 of the Crusaders’ final 17 points.
Scranton missed a big three-pointer with 4:20 left in the game that would have given the Royals a five-point lead, and after Cosgrove grabbed the rebound, the ball found its way to Majors and then on to Spencer for his second three-ball of the half that made the score 63-62 Crusaders with 4:09 remaining.
Another Scranton miss and another Cosgrove rebound and Majors assist led to the Spencer three that made it 66-62 with 3:29 remaining. That same trio hooked up that same way following a Patch block to spell Spencer’s final trey and the late seven-point lead.
Scranton hung tough with two free throws and a three-pointer to narrow the gap to 69-67, but Spencer’s driving, spinning layup with just 46 seconds left pushed the lead back out to four.
The Royals started fouling thereafter, but Susquehanna’s senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) sunk the next two free throws for a 73-67 lead with 31 seconds on the clock.
Scranton responded with another three-pointer that made it 73-70 with 23 ticks to play and then sent Spencer to the line. Spencer sunk both shots, but the Royals came right back down for a layup and then sent Spencer to the stripe again.
Spencer uncharacteristically missed both ensuing free throws but then quickly and smartly fouled with a three-point Crusaders cushion of 75-72.
The Royals made both free throws to make it a one-point game and then fouled Spencer again with only three seconds left. This time, the freshman made both shots for another three-point lead.
Following an SU timeout, Scranton got the ball to a shooter in time for a desperation three, but the shot was strong off the rim, sending the Susquehanna bench and crowd onto the floor to celebrate the win.
Jan. 30: Susquehanna 71, Moravian 57 Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. -- Susquehanna University’s All–America candidate and senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) posted his third straight double-double and 12th this season to help lead the Crusaders to a 71-57 Landmark Conference win over visiting Moravian College at Orlando W. Houts Gymnasium on Jan. 30.
Patch led all players with 26 points and 13 rebounds on 11-of-15 shooting from the field. He also made all four of his free throws for Susquehanna (12-6, 6-2 Landmark), and collected an assist, a block and a steal. Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) dished out an impressive game-high 11 assists against Moravian (7-11, 3-5 Landmark), scored four points, grabbed four rebounds and made a game-high three steals.
SU’s freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) scored 14 points on the strength of a team-high two three-pointers and added five boards and a steal. Sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) contributed 11 points, four rebounds and a block.
The final score was closer than the game truly was. Susquehanna took its second lead of the game when Spencer hit a three-pointer 4 minutes, 51 seconds into the first half to make the score 9–6 and never trailed nor was tied again.
Rebounding and shooting were the stories. SU outrebounded Moravian, 46-29, and outshot the Greyhounds 50.8 percent to 34.4 percent.
After trailing, 32-27, at halftime, Moravian did manage to get to within two points of the Crusaders lead twice early in the second half, but Susquehanna responded both times with at least the next bucket.
The Greyhounds hung around a little longer, even bringing the SU lead to 44-40 with 13:42 left in the game, but the Crusaders went on an 11–3 run after that to begin to put the game away.
Patch’s emphatic fast-break dunk off yet another Majors assist with just 3:43 to play made the score 67-53 and was the nail in the coffin.
Jan. 25: Susquehanna 83, Goucher 74 Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) drilled 80 percent of his field goals, good for a team-high 24 points, to help Susquehanna University defeat visiting Landmark Conference opponent Goucher College, 83–74, at Orlando W. Houts Gymnasium on Jan. 25. The victory capped off a perfect 4-for-4 weekend for the Crusaders (11–6, 5–2 Landmark), as both the men’s and women’s teams won each of their respective conference matchups.
Twelve of Spencer’s points came from beyond the arc, as he made four of five attempts against Goucher (4–12, 2–5 Landmark).
Two Crusaders tallied double-doubles on the day. Senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) garnered his 11th of the season with 14 points and 13 boards, while sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) collected his first, scoring 19 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.
Susquehanna’s senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) and junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) found themselves sharing the game-high assists honor, each serving out seven. McDevitt also added 12 points, and Majors seven, en route to victory.
Cosgrove put the Orange and Maroon on the board merely seconds into the game on an and-one play off a McDevitt assist. The Crusaders traveled down the floor where Spencer scooped up a rebound that led to a Patch jumper on a ball from Majors to take a 5–0 lead. The Gophers responded with the next five to knot the score for the first-and-only time of the game.
Susquehanna marginally crept ahead throughout the remainder of the half and held the lead by as many as eight points twice. A good three pointer with just 22 seconds of play lingering in the half brought the visiting squad to within a point before the Crusaders responded with a pair of McDevitt points to lead 33–30 at the break.
The second half was riddled with fouls. Susquehanna collected 26 points from the charity stripe, 23 of which came in the later 20-minute stint.
Trailing by seven with 1:28 remaining in the game, the Gophers were forced to foul. Susquehanna swished 14 of 16 foul shots down the stretch to put the game away for good.
Susquehanna dominated the hardwood, shooting 45.6 percent from the floor and 81.3 percent from the free-throw line, compared to Goucher’s 37.1 and 61.1 percents, respectively.
Jan. 24: Susquehanna 84, Catholic 72 Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Susquehanna University’s senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) played perhaps his best game of the season to push host Susquehanna to an 84–72 Landmark Conference win over The Catholic University of America at Orlando W. Houts Gymnasium on Jan. 24.
McDevitt scored a team-high 20 points on the strength of a game-high five three-pointers. He added a game-high five steals, grabbed seven rebounds and handed out five assists against Catholic (13–4, 4–2 Landmark), as the Crusaders (10–6, 4–2 Landmark) celebrated Hall of Fame night in front of a big crowd.
SU’s junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) led all players with an impressive career-high 14 assists, which ties Bob Weise ’84 for the second-highest single-game total in school history. Weise dished out 14 assists at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania on Jan. 19, 1981. The school record is 15 assists, set by Tres Wolf ’94 at Moravian College on Feb. 19, 1994. Majors added four points, four rebounds and two steals. Senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) registered his 10th double-double of the season by scoring 13 points, pulling down 10 rebounds and adding an assist. Patch is averaging a double-double of 16.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game this season.
Freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) scored 18 points for SU and had two boards and two steals. Sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) made all seven of his field goals on his way to 16 points. Cosgrove added five rebounds, an assist and the game’s lone blocked shot before fouling out with 1 minute, 9 seconds left in the game.
Susquehanna jumped out to a startling 18–5 lead just 4:04 into the first half on the strength of two three-pointers from Spencer. That lead diminished only slightly to 23–11 with 13:22 to play in the half, but Catholic woke up to go on an 18–6 run from there to tie the game at 29 with 7:46 left in the period.
Play went back-and-forth the rest of the half until the teams spelled a 43–41 Cardinals lead at halftime.
The game was closer in the second half than the final score would suggest. Cosgrove’s layup off a Majors assist on the first possession after the break tied the score again at 43, and Patch followed with a jumper to give SU the lead back at 45–43 with 19:04 still to play. As it turned out, the Crusaders would never trail nor be tied again.
Another Spencer three-ball capped a 17–2 SU run to open the second half, and all of a sudden, the score was 58–45 with 16:32 left.
The Cardinals crawled to within three points at 62–59 after a three-pointer with 11:07 remaining, but Susquehanna made enough big plays the rest of the way.
With 3:21 on the clock, Majors hit Spencer with a highlight-reel bounce pass, and Spencer finished with a hoop-and-a-harm to give SU a late 10-point lead at 74–64.
Catholic responded with two free throws, but McDevitt answered that immediately with a key three-pointer that pushed the lead back out to double digits, 77–66, with 2:51 remaining.
That was the beginning of the end for Catholic, which had to foul late to try to get back in the game. Spencer made the contest’s final two free throws and stole the ball with 21 seconds left to end it.
Jan. 17: Susquehanna 64, USMMA 66 Box Score
KINGS POINT, N.Y. — Susquehanna University’s senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) scored a game-high 19 points to go with five rebounds and an assist, but the visiting Crusaders missed a last-second three-pointer and lost to the United States Merchant Marine Academy, 66–64, in a Landmark Conference game at James W. Liebertz Gymnasium on Jan. 17.
Patch was one of three Susquehanna (9–6, 3–2 Landmark) players to shoot perfect from the free-throw line. He made all six of his shots from the charity stripe, while freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) and sophomore guard Jason Dawson (Somerset, N.J./Rutgers Prep) went 7-for-7 and 8-for-8, respectively, against the USMMA (9–6, 5–0 Landmark).
Spencer made a team-high two three-pointers on his way to a 17-point day. He also had three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Dawson came off the bench to score 12 points, pull down four boards and hand out three assists. Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) tallied game-highs of five assists and four steals, scored three points and grabbed three boards. Sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) led the Crusaders with six rebounds and added two points, two assists and a block.
The game was close the whole way, as neither team took its foot off the pedal. The lead changed hands six times in each half in a game marked by end-to-end action and fast breaks and mini-runs for each time. After 20 minutes came and went, the USMMA held a 36–34 lead at halftime.
Play was dead even in the second half at 30 points apiece, though the Mariners held the lead for the last 9 minutes, 54 seconds.
Susquehanna took its last lead of the game at 50–47 after Spencer made three straight free throws following a foul on his three-point attempt with 10:37 left. The USMMA responded with a 10–0 run after that to stake a 57–50 lead with 7:05 remaining.
The Crusaders steadily worked their way back into the game and clawed to within one point at 63-62 after two Dawson free throws with 1:10 to play.
The Mariners called a timeout on their ensuing possession and drew up a layup that made the score 65–62 with just 40 seconds left.
Dawson was fouled again on the next Crusaders possession and sank both free throws to make it 65–64 with 31 ticks left. The USMMA took another timeout, and Spencer fouled a USMMA player with 18 seconds to play. The Mariner made the first free throw but missed the second, and Patch pulled down the rebound.
The ball then found its way to Spencer, who missed a jumper that would have tied it. Spencer got his own rebound and found Majors for a three-ball to win, but Majors’ shot missed as time expired.
Jan. 16: Susquehanna 59, Drew 58 Box Score
MADISON, N.J. Susquehanna University's freshman guard Brian Kerwin (Basking Ridge, N.J./Immaculata HS) scored a team-high 11 points and added four rebounds and two assists to help visiting Susquehanna hold on for a 5958 win over Drew University in a Landmark Conference game at Baldwin Gymnasium on Jan. 16.
Kerwin made a team-high three shots from beyond the arc (on four attempts) for the Crusaders (95, 31 Landmark). Sophomore forward Hunter McKain (Ligonier, Pa./Shady Side Academy) scored 10 points against Drew (310, 12 Landmark) to go with three rebounds and an assist. SU's senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) led all players with 10 rebounds. Patch also scored six points and blocked two shots. Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) scored nine points, dished out two assists, grabbed a board and made a team-high three steals.
SU controlled play for most of the first half and led, 4132, at halftime.
Drew opened the second half outscoring the Crusaders, 134, to tie the game at 45 with 15 minutes, 22 seconds left. Susquehanna responded with an 114 run following that, highlighted by a trio of three-pointers, including two from Kerwin, to make the score 5649 with 8:12 to play. The Rangers kept the trend going by scoring the next seven points to tie the game at 56 with just 1:28 remaining.
Majors was an important player down the stretch. After sinking a free throw to make it 5756 with 52 seconds left, Majors made a steal and a layup to push it to 5956 with 26 seconds remaining. Drew was then fouled and hit both of its free throws to draw the gap to just 5958 with 13 ticks on the clock.
The Rangers still had two fouls to give, which played to Susquehanna's benefit. Eventually, the Crusaders went back to the free-throw line with just 10 seconds left, but Majors missed his first shot, and Drew got the rebound.
The Rangers drew up a play following a timeout with five seconds left and got the ball to a player in position to win, but his shot at the buzzer was off-the-mark.
Jan. 10: Susquehanna 70, Moravian 64 Box Score
BETHLEHEM, Pa. Susquehanna University's AllAmerica candidate and senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) continued his amazing run with a seventh straight double-double and ninth of the season to help lead the Crusaders to a 7064 win over Moravian College in a Landmark Conference game at Johnston Hall on Jan. 10.
Patch scored 20 points in the second half alone for Susquehanna (85, 21 Landmark). He poured in 25 total points, grabbed 16 rebounds, handed out three assists, made a steal and registered his team's only two blocked shots. He made 12 of 18 shots from the field.
Freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) was right behind Patch with 23 points against Moravian (58, 12 Landmark). Spencer made a game-high four steals to go with two rebounds and four assists. He made a team-high three shots from three-point range. SU's senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) scored 11 points and had seven rebounds and an assist.
The first half belonged largely to Moravian. Susquehanna took a brief lead at 75 exactly six minutes into the game after a Spencer jumper, but the Greyhounds went on an 182 run following that to lead 239 with 7 minutes, 32 seconds to play before halftime. Play was pretty even after that, but the Crusaders still trailed, 3826, at the break.
Patch, who is averaging a double-double of 16.8 points and 11.6 rebounds per game this season, took this game over in the second half, particularly during a one-minute stretch around the mid-point of the latter period. He notched the assist on a layup that brought the Crusaders to within five points of Moravian at 4944 with 11:29 remaining and then blocked a three-point try on the ensuing Greyhounds possession. After picking up the rebound, Patch went down and sunk a layup to make it 4946. He then caused a steal on the next Moravian possession and slammed home a dunk to draw the score to 4948 with 10:29 left.
McDevitt's three-ball with 6:28 to play tied the game at 5555, and Susquehanna went on a 90 run after that, highlighted by another Patch dunk that made it 6654 with 3:27 on the clock.
Moravian wouldn't go away, as it orchestrated a late run of its own after that. The Greyhounds outscored SU, 70, in the next 1:27 to bring the score to 6462 with exactly two minutes left, but Patch answered the bell again for Susquehanna. His tip-in with 1:43 left bumped the Crusaders lead to 4, and his rebound after the next Moravian possession led to a McDevitt layup that made it 6862 with just 49 seconds remaining.
The Greyhounds stayed in the game with a layup with 34 seconds left, but Spencer made his next two free throws. And after a missed free throw with 13 seconds left, Spencer grabbed the offensive rebound to end the game.
Jan. 9: Susquehanna 77, Scranton 86 Box Score
SCRANTON, Pa. Susquehanna University's AllAmerica candidate and senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) posted his sixth straight double-double and eighth of the season, but visiting Susquehanna lost at The University of Scranton, 8677, in a Landmark Conference men's basketball game at John Long Center on Jan. 9.
Patch was everywhere for Susquehanna (75, 11 Landmark). He scored a team-high 19 points, grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds, handed out four assists, made two steals and blocked a shot. Patch is averaging a double-double of 16.1 points and 11.3 rebounds per game this season. Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) registered a unique double-double against Scranton (84, 11 Landmark). Majors dished out an impressive game-high 10 assists, scored 11 points, pulled down two rebounds and made a steal.
SU's freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) scored 14 points and added three boards, two assists and two steals. Sophomore forward Hunter McKain (Ligonier, Pa./Shady Side Academy) scored 11 points and added five boards and a block.
The game started out ominously for Susquehanna. Scranton led from start to finish, beginning with a 70 run to open the first half. The Royals dominated the first 20 minutes, leading by as many as 23 points twice in the first period before establishing a 5131 lead at halftime.
The Crusaders came out as a different team in the second half and outplayed Scranton, though they still trailed by a double-digit deficit until freshman guard Brian Kerwin (Basking Ridge, N.J./Immaculata HS) hit a jumper to make the score 6355 with 8 minutes, 35 seconds left.
Kerwin sunk another jump shot with 7:28 left, and suddenly, the score was 6358. The Royals went back up by 10 points soon after when they hit a three-pointer with 6:37 left to push the score to 6858. Majors came right back down the floor though and made a three-pointer of his own to cut the lead to 7.
Play swung back Scranton's way, and a Royals layup made the score 7563 with 2:24 remaining. Susquehanna wouldn't go away though, and a Spencer three-pointer with 1:03 left made the score a two-possession difference at 8175.
The Crusaders started to foul late to try to prolong the game, but they wouldn't get any closer the rest of the way. Majors' two free throws cut the score to 8377 with 35 seconds to play, but the Royals made three of their next four free throws to ice it. SU missed its last four three-pointers of the game.
Jan. 3 (Sponaugle New Year's Tournament championship game): Susquehanna 79, Franklin & Marshall 81 Box Score
LANCASTER, Pa. — Susquehanna University’s sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) scored a game-high 18 points and added six rebounds, an assist and a block, but visiting Susquehanna lost the championship game of the 2009 Woodrow S.W. Sponaugle New Year's Tournament to undefeated Franklin & Marshall College in dramatic fashion, 81–79, in a non-conference game at Mayser Gymnasium on Jan. 3.
Cosgrove sunk five of seven field goals and went 8-for-9 from the free-throw line against Franklin & Marshall (9–0 overall). All–tournament team member and senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) continued his amazing run by registering a fifth straight double-double and seventh of the season for Susquehanna (7–4 overall). Patch earned 15 points, a game-high 12 rebounds, one assist and one block in this game. He is averaging a double-double this season (15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game).
SU’s junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) and freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) scored 13 and 12 points, respectively. Majors made both of his shots from three-point range and added two rebounds, three steals and a game-high six assists.
This game was a story of two very different halves.
Susquehanna held five early leads of two points or less in the first half, but the initial 20 minutes belonged to F&M, which led by as many as 14 twice in the first period before settling for a 39–28 lead at the break.
SU immediately chipped away at the F&M lead in the second half. A 15–3 Susquehanna run to start the final period, topped off by a layup from Spencer with 14:38 to play gave the Crusaders their first go-ahead basket since 14 minutes, 39 seconds were still left in the first half.
The game went back-and-forth from there with the lead changing hands three more times. After Patch’s jumper with 2:41 remaining tied the score at 71, F&M scored the next four points to take a 75–71 lead with 1:41 left. Spencer was then fouled and hit the second of two free throws to draw the gap to 75–72 with 1:25 left.
SU’s senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) made a steal following the Spencer free throw, but Spencer missed his ensuing three-point try which would have tied the game.
The Crusaders were forced to foul to prolong the game, and F&M sunk both of its next free throws for a 77–72 lead with 43 seconds left. McDevitt made a quick layup following that, and the Diplomats were fouled again with 30 seconds left. They made the two important free throws for a 79–74 F&M lead, but Majors came right down the floor and nailed a big three-pointer to bring the score to just 79–77 with 24 seconds left.
McDevitt made yet another steal following Majors’ bucket, but Spencer missed a would-be go-ahead three-pointer. Patch was there for the offensive rebound though and got the ball back to Spencer, who was good from two-point range this time to tie the game at 79.
With time winding down, F&M came quickly back down the floor, and after a missed layup, the Diplomats grabbed the board and sunk a layup with 2 seconds left for the winning points.
Susquehanna called a timeout and was able to get the ball to Patch for a chance at tying the game again, but his jumper missed as the clock showed all zeroes.
Jan. 2 (Sponaugle New Year's Tournament first round): Susquehanna 75, Edgewood 69 Box Score
LANCASTER, Pa. — Senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) scored a game-high 20 points and added eight rebounds and an assist to help lead Susquehanna University to a 75–69 neutral-site non-conference win over Edgewood College in the first round of the 2009 Woodrow S.W. Sponaugle New Year's Tournament at Franklin & Marshall College's Mayser Gymnasium on Jan. 2.
The final score was closer than the game truly was. Susquehanna (7–3 overall) never trailed, and Edgewood (3–7 overall) fell behind by as many as 15 points in the second half.
Susquehanna's senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) rung in the new year with an impressive fourth straight double-double and sixth this season. Patch scored 17 points and led all players with 14 rebounds. He added one assist, one block and a steal. Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) was the other Crusaders player scoring in double figures with 10 points. Majors also had one rebound and posted game-highs of six assists and five steals.
Susquehanna took its first double-digit lead of the game when senior guard Todd Denapoli (Dunellen, N.J./Dunellen) capped a 9–0 Crusaders run with a three-pointer that made the score 16–6 with 13 minutes, 9 seconds to play in the first half.
SU took a 14-point lead when Patch hit a jumper with 7:34 left in the first half before settling for a 37–29 lead at halftime.
Edgewood stayed far enough away throughout the second half but did crawl to within four points at 65–61 with a three-pointer that came with 3:58 to play in the game. SU responded immediately though with a 5–0 run that essentially put the game away.
The Crusaders will play in the 2009 Sponaugle New Year's Tournament championship game on Saturday, Jan. 3, at 8 p.m. against the winner of the tournament's other first-round game between Franklin & Marshall and The College of New Jersey. Edgewood will play the loser of the F&M-New Jersey game at 6 p.m. on Saturday in the consolation round.
The F&M-TCNJ game is being played at 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 2.
Dec. 16: Susquehanna 75, Bridgewater (Va.) 85 Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Susquehanna University’s senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) registered his third straight double-double and fifth this season by notching a game-high 21 points and 12 rebounds, but visiting Bridgewater College (Va.) topped Susquehanna, 85–75, in a non-conference game at Orlando W. Houts Gymnasium on Dec. 16.
Patch made an impressive eight of 12 field goals for the Crusaders (6–3 overall). He also blocked a shot. Three players scored 10 points each against Bridgewater (5–4 overall), as sophomore forward Hunter McKain (Ligonier, Pa./Shady Side Academy), senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) and freshman guard Brian Kerwin (Basking Ridge, N.J./Immaculata HS) all reached double figures. McKain also pulled down six rebounds and added a block and a steal. McDevitt handed out four assists, grabbed two boards and made a steal. He was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. Kerwin made a team-high two three-pointers and picked up a board, an assist and a steal.
SU’s junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) dished out a team-high five assists and had five points, three steals and a rebound.
Susquehanna played from behind for essentially the entire game. The Eagles went ahead, 2–1, just 1 minute, 37 seconds into the first half and never trailed nor were tied again. Bridgewater shot early and often and built a 34–24 lead at halftime.
For the game, the Eagles attempted 59 total field goals, including 23 three-pointers. The Crusaders took 46 shots from the field, including 12 from beyond the arc. The telling statistic was Bridgewater's 44 rebounds to Susquehanna’s 28.
The Eagles led by as many as 15 points twice in the second half, and Susquehanna got only as close as a six-point deficit the rest of the way. Bridgewater was excellent from the charity stripe down the stretch, hitting 16 of 20 free throws in the last 5:31 to keep the Crusaders away.
Dec. 14: Susquehanna 63, Lycoming 55 Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Susquehanna University’s senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) registered his second straight double-double and fourth this season by scoring a team-high 18 points and adding a game-high 14 rebounds to help lead Susquehanna to a 63–55 non-conference win over visiting Lycoming College at Orlando W. Houts Gymnasium on Dec. 14.
Patch also dished out three assists and made a steal for Susquehanna (6–2 overall). He made seven of 12 field goals for the second straight game. Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) posted game-highs of seven assists and four steals and added seven points and a rebound against Lycoming (5–3 overall).
SU’s freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) scored 15 points on the strength of a team-high three buckets from beyond the arc and picked up three assists, three steals and two rebounds.
Lycoming was in foul trouble from the start, as the Crusaders went into the double bonus for free throws with 8 minutes, 39 seconds still to play in the first half. They touched the double bonus again before the end of the second half. The Warriors had four players with four fouls apiece.
Lycoming led by as many six points in the first half. Susquehanna eventually took its first lead at 20–18 when Patch made a layup with 3:27 left before the break and hung on for a 31–28 lead after 20 minutes.
Majors posted five assists in the first half alone.
The Crusaders controlled play for most of the second half, leading by as many as eight points three times. After Majors’ layup made it 43–35 with 13:17 to play in the game though, Lycoming went on a 12–3 run to take the lead back at 47–46 with 8:01 left.
The game truly went back-and-forth from there, and a Lycoming player hit a three-pointer for a 54–52 Warriors lead with just 3:35 remaining. SU responded immediately with a big three-pointer from senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) to take the lead back at 55–54 with 3:07 left. Sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) pulled down an important offensive rebound before that to keep the Crusaders in possession of the ball.
That seemed to deflate Lycoming, which was outscored, 8–1, the rest of the way. The Warriors made none of their last five field goals, and Susquehanna was good enough from the free-throw line down the stretch to cruise to victory.
Patch posted a double-double in the second half alone with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
The Crusaders were credited with 18 assists to just five for Lycoming.
Dec. 6: Susquehanna 64, Juniata 41 Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Susquehanna University’s senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) registered his third double-double this season with 14 points and a game-high 14 rebounds to help lead Susquehanna to a 64–41 win over visiting Juniata College in both teams’ 2008–09 Landmark Conference opener at Orlando W. Houts Gymnasium on Dec. 6.
Patch added three assists and two blocks for Susquehanna (5–2, 1–0 Landmark). He made seven of 12 field goals. Sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) led all players with a bruising 15 points against Juniata (1–6, 0–1 Landmark), the bulk of which came in high traffic below the rim, and added five rebounds and two blocks.
SU’s junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) made an impressive 71.4 percent of his field goals as part of 11 points. Majors did a bit of everything by grabbing three boards, dishing out an assist, blocking a shot and swarming for a game-high five steals.
Juniata was held to just 27.3 percent shooting from the field, and Susquehanna held a commanding advantage in rebounds, 45–33.
Juniata took its only lead of the game at 7–6 just 5 minutes, 12 seconds into the first half but never led nor tied the game again after that. SU responded to its lone deficit with a 17–4 run that swelled the score to 23–11 with 5:41 left before break. The Crusaders led by 12 points four different times in the first half before settling for a 30–24 lead at halftime.
The game was never really close in the second half, as Susquehanna opened the period on a 16–4 run and led by as many as 26 points. Only a three-pointer with two seconds to play put Juniata over the 40-point mark.
The start of the game was delayed 15 minutes due to weather-related travel issues with the officials.
Dec. 2: Susquehanna 60, Misericordia 67 Box Score
DALLAS, Pa. Susquehanna University's senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) scored a team-high 13 points and added three rebounds, an assist and a steal, but Susquehanna lost, 6760, to host Misericordia University in a non-conference game at the Anderson Sports-Health Center on Dec. 2.
Freshman guard Brian Kerwin (Basking Ridge, N.J./Immaculata HS) scored 12 points on the strength of a game-high four three-pointers (on four attempts) and collected a rebound and a steal for Susquehanna (42 overall). Fellow freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) was the other Crusader in double figures in points as he scored 10 against Misericordia (52 overall) to go with two boards, two assists and two steals.
SU's senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) scored seven points and posted one steal and a team-high five rebounds and four assists. Sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) blocked a team-high two shots and added six points and two rebounds.
The game truly went back-and-forth until Misericordia went on a 90 run midway through the first half to take a 2518 lead with 7 minutes, 32 seconds to play before halftime.
The Cougars would lead by seven points twice more in the first half before settling for a 3328 advantage at the break.
The Crusaders eventually tied the game with a 70 run in the middle of the second half that put the score at 4949 with 8:59 left, but Misericordia immediately pulled away with an 113 run that pushed it to 6052 with only 2:55 to play.
Susquehanna began fouling down by five with 49 seconds left, but Misericordia made enough charity shots down the stretch to escape with the win.
Nov. 29: Susquehanna 65, Wilkes 53 Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. — In the opening moments of the game, Susquehanna University (4–1 overall) jumped ahead to a commanding 13–0 lead over visiting Wilkes University (2–2 overall) en route to a 65–53 non-conference win at Orlando W. Houts Gymnasium on Nov. 29.
Sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) (pictured) scored a career- and team-high 16 points and pulled down five boards to help Susquehanna to its fourth win of the season.
Shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe, freshman guard Brian Kerwin (Basking Ridge, N.J./Immaculata HS) tallied a career-high 11 points for the Crusaders, while senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) fell one point short of his third double-double of the season, registering nine points, a team-high 10 rebounds and a game-high four assists. Sophomore forward Hunter McKain (Ligonier, Pa./Shady Side Academy) scored eight points and threw-down a game-high two blocks.
A Cosgrove layup 34 seconds into play opened an unanswered 13-point run to set the stage for the Orange and Maroon. Six minutes, 11 seconds had ticked off the clock before a Wilkes player buried a jumper to finally put the Colonels on the board.
The Crusaders, who connected with over 44 percent of their field goals, remained a step ahead of the Colonels the entire game. Wilkes was able to come within six points of the hosts on a five-point run; however, that terminated with 7:26 remaining in the first half when senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) drained a three-pointer. The Colonels would not break the six-point barrier before the final buzzer rang.
Susquehanna shot a dominating 83.3 percent from the free-throw line, while Wilkes was riddled with misfortune, shooting just 44.8 percent from that same stripe. Junior guards Marcus Burke (Hyde Park, Mass./Brimmer and May) and Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) joined Kerwin with perfect performances following the foul, shooting 4-for-4 and 2-for-2, respectively.
Despite being edged, 31–30, in the second stint of play, the Crusaders’ 35–22 lead at the half was enough to lead the team to victory.
Nov. 22 (Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip-Off Tournament championship game): Susquehanna 80, King's, Pa. 88 (OT) Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. Susquehanna University's freshman guard and alltournament team member Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) scored a team-high 18 points and dished out two assists, but visiting King's College (Pa.) took an 8880 non-conference overtime win in the championship game of the 2008 Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip-Off Tournament at Orlando W. Houts Gymnasium on Nov. 22.
Spencer didn't see a shot that he didn't like, as the Susquehanna (31 overall) spark plug took a game-high 17 shots from the field, including going 4-for-10 from three-point range. The most field goals attempted by a King's (40 overall) player was 11.
SU's senior guard/forward and alltournament honoree Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) did a bit of everything by tallying 14 points, eight rebounds, three steals, an assist and a game-high three blocks.
Senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) and junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) were the other Crusaders in double figures. McDevitt scored 14 points and added five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Majors handed out an impressive game-high eight assists, grabbed three rebounds and made three steals.
The first half was anyone's game, as the lead changed hands 13 times.
King's came away with a 2928 lead at halftime and controlled play for most of the second half. The Monarchs led, 5444, with 10 minutes, 59 seconds to play in the second half and took a 6657 with just 5:07 to play.
The Crusaders went on an 80 run after that though to cut the score to 6665 with 3:08 left, but the lead swelled out to 7269 with only 37 seconds to play after a pair of clutch Monarchs free throws. Spencer followed with a jumper with 13 seconds left to bring the game within one, and McDevitt stole the inbounds pass before Majors was fouled. Majors hit the first free throw to tie the score but missed the second.
A long three-pointer sailed wide of the hoop for King's after that, sending the game into overtime.
King's controlled play immediately in the overtime, jumping out to a 7772 lead with 3:06 left. Majors responded with a three-pointer to narrow the gap to two, but the Crusaders were whistled for costly fouls following that. A King's player made four straight from the charity stripe around a Patch layup, then followed that with a jumper for an 8377 lead with 1:01 remaining.
Susquehanna starting fouling to stay in the game, but King's was up to the task from the line, making five of six free throws to end it.
Nov. 21 (Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip-Off Tournament first round): Susquehanna 70, Penn College 61 Box Score
SELINSGROVE, Pa. Susquehanna University's senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) posted his second double-double in three games with a team-high 20 points and 13 rebounds to help lead Susquehanna to a 7061 non-conference win over the visiting Pennsylvania College of Technology in the first round of the 2008Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip-Off Tournament at Orlando W. Houts Gymnasium on Nov. 21.
Patch shot 66.7 percent from the field and also dished out two assists and blocked two Penn College (22 overall) shots. Freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) scored 17 points and added four rebounds, two steals and an assist for Susquehanna (30 overall).
SU's sophomore forward Hunter McKain (Ligonier, Pa./Shady Side Academy) narrowly missed a second straight double-double as he scored eight points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked a game-high three shots. Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) and senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) tied for the game-high with six assists apiece. Majors also tied for the game-high with four steals and added three points and a rebound, while McDevitt posted six points, six rebounds and two steals.
SU took its first lead of the game at 87 just 4 minutes, 1 second into the first half but did not lead again until only 1:35 remained before intermission. Penn College led by as many as 10 twice in the first half, the last time with 4:29 left. But the Crusaders closed out the half on a 150 run to take a 3732 lead into the break. Sophomore guard Frank Marcinek Jr. (Coal Township, Pa./Shamokin Area) made his team-high two three-pointers during that span.
The Wildcats tied the game 4:06 into the second half at 4343 and drew the score to 5554 with 6:11 remaining, but Patch, McDevitt and McKain responded with three unanswered buckets to begin to put the game away.
Penn College starting fouling with 34 seconds left in an attempt to prolong the game, but Spencer was perfect from the line in his last four attempts to send the Crusaders to the tournament championship game.
Susquehanna plays King's College (Pa.) on Saturday, Nov. 22, in the 2008 Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip-Off Tournament championship game at 3 p.m. King's defeated SUNY Morrisville, 6447, on Nov. 21 to advance to the tournament final.
Morrisville and Penn College play in the tournament consolation game on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Nov. 16 (White Rose City Classic championship game): Susquehanna 59, Neumann 57 Box Score
YORK, Pa. Susquehanna University's sophomore forward Hunter McKain (Ligonier, Pa./Shady Side Academy) and senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) both made one free throw in the last 12 seconds, and Neumann College missed a three-pointer with one second remaining to give Susquehanna a 5957 non-conference win in the championship game of the White Rose City Classic at the York College of Pennsylvania's Charles Wolf Gymnasium on Nov. 16.
McKain grabbed a defensive rebound with 34 seconds left in a tie game following a missed Neumann (11 overall) three-pointer. McDevitt was then fouled with 12 seconds remaining and hit the first of two free throws for the first Susquehanna (20 overall) lead of the game. He missed the second, but McKain was there for another important rebound. McKain was fouled immediately and went to the line where he also made the first of two. His second was off-the-mark, which gave the Knights their shot at the last-second win, though it was not to be.
McKain registered a double-double of 11 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. He also posted one assist, one block and one steal. McDevitt also scored 11 points and added seven rebounds, three assists and a steal.
SU's senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) scored a team-high 12 points, grabbed eight rebounds and picked up an assist and a block.
Junior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) dished out a team-high four assists and made a team-high three steals. Majors also scored five points and pulled down a rebound.
Senior guard Zac Smith (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) made the only two three-pointers for the Crusaders as part of an eight-point day. Smith also registered two boards, two assists and a steal.
Sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) also scored eight points and added five rebounds and a block.
Neumann led, 3423, at the half and matched that 11-point lead with a 5140 advantage with 9 minutes, 27 seconds left in the second half before Susquehanna took a timeout. Following the break, SU went on a 122 run to draw the game to 5352 with 4:53 to play.
The action went back-and-forth from there until McKain tied the game at 5555 on a layup with 3:13 left. Neumann made two free throws on the ensuing possession, but Patch responded with a layup to tie it again with just 2:30 to play.
Neither team could find the basket again until McDevitt's game-winning free throw and McKain's heroics to end it.
Susquehanna held a decided advantage in rebounds, 4829.
Nov. 15 (White Rose City Classic first round): Susquehanna 76, Misericordia 67 Box Score
YORK, Pa. Senior guard/forward Joel Patch (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) posted a double-double of 21 points and a game-high 11 rebounds while shooting an impressive 64.3 percent from the floor to help lead Susquehanna University to a 7667 non-conference win over Misericordia University in the first round of the White Rose City Classic at the York College of Pennsylvania's Charles Wolf Gymnasium on Nov. 15.
Susquehanna (10 overall) and Misericordia (01 overall) are both opening their 200809 seasons in the four-team White Rose tournament.
SU's freshman guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) also poured in 21 points in his first collegiate game to tie Patch for the game high. Patch and Spencer both dished out two assists, and Spencer grabbed three rebounds and a steal. Spencer shot 53.9 percent from the floor, including making a game-high four three-pointers, and sunk all three of his free-throw attempts.
Sophomore forward Hunter McKain (Ligonier, Pa./Shady Side Academy) blocked a game-high six shots and was the other Susquehanna player in double figures in points with 14. McKain added six rebounds and two assists.
Senior guard Matt McDevitt (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) handed out a game-high six assists and made a game-high three steals for the Crusaders. McDevitt also scored four points and posted four rebounds.
Sophomore center Rob Cosgrove (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg) did a little bit of everything as he scored six points, pulled down four rebounds, handed out two assists and picked up a steal and a block.
Misericordia led by as many as nine points in the first half, but Susquehanna kept battling back and even took a 3331 lead into halftime.
The game was tied at 4545 with 13 minutes, 16 seconds remaining in the second half, and play went back-and-forth from there. Susquehanna began to pull away with the game with an eight-point lead with 7:56 remaining when Spencer hit a three-pointer and McKain made a jumper with 8:35 and 7:56 remaining, respectively.
The lead dwindled to just two for Susquehanna twice in the second half, the last time with just 3:14 left when a Cougars player hit a layup after a steal. Misericordia made another quick steal following that layup but missed a jumper that would have tied the game again. SU came right back down the floor where McKain hit a big three-pointer for a five-point cushion, 6863.
Misericordia scored next with two free throws to get within one possession at 6865, but Patch put thoughts of a late comeback to rest when he finished McDevitt's assist with a bucket and a free throw that pushed the lead out to six, 7165.
Misericordia missed a three-pointer on the ensuing possession and was forced to start fouling to get back in the game. Spencer then made two free throws to balloon the lead to 7365 and essentially put the game out of reach with only 48 seconds left.
Following a Cougars layup, Patch slammed home a dunk and hit a free throw with 21 and 13 seconds left, respectively, to provide the final margin. The 7667 final score made for Susquehanna's biggest lead of the game.
Susquehanna held a 40-34 edge in rebounds. |
