XML Box Score Chester, PA - Brad Bolen and David Fernandez combined for 60 points on Wednesday to lead No. 17 Messiah College to a 95-87 win over Widener University. Bolen scored a career-high 33 points on 12-18 shooting to lead the Falcons, with Fernandez close behind with 27 points of his own. He shot 11-16 from the field, with he and Bolen helping Messiah shoot an incredible 62.1% for the game.

The win moved Messiah to 14-1 overall and 8-1 in the Commonwealth. Widener fell to 8-8 overall and just 2-6 in the conference.

The Falcons took an 11-8 lead with 16:22 left in the first-half and didn't look back. They led the rest of the way, hitting seven of eight shots near the end of the frame to increase their lead to 15 points. Widener kept the game close, however, using a 13-0 run to end the first-half to make it a two point game (41-39) at the break.

In the second-half Messiah and Widener traded buckets for the first eight minutes with the Falcons never pushing beyond a two-possession advantage. A three-pointer by Scott Bolen—his only bucket of the night—at the 12:25 mark finally created a little space as they went ahead 57-48. Less than two minutes later a steal and transition dunk by Brad Bolen put Messiah on top 63-53.
 
Soon, the Falcons found themselves in front by 14 points (71-57) by way of a quick 8-1 run highlighted by a Taylor Groff bucket from beyond the arc.
 
But, as they did in the first-half, Widener fought back. With just over three minutes to play a three-pointer from Andrew Radomicki cut the Falcons' lead to just three points (77-74). After a bucket by Fernandez, Greg Lawson then hit two free-throws to again make it a one-possession game. On the Falcons' next possession, Christyan DeVan hit a back-breaking three-pointer with the shot clock winding down to put Messiah up 82-76.
 
In the final two minutes the Falcons went 7-9 from the stripe to seal the win, with Brad Bolen's reverse dunk with a minute left providing an exclamation point.
 
Bolen's 33 points eclipsed a 31-point effort against Arcadia last February, with Fernandez coming just three points shy of his own career-high set against Penn St. Harrisburg in December of 2011. A brief look at the Messiah record books shows that the 60 combined points for Bolen and Fernandez are the highest in a single game since at least the 2000-01 season.

Fernandez also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds while Groff added 12 points. Scott Bolen dished out seven assists and grabbed seven boards to go along with three points. DeVan also handed out seven assists while scoring nine points.
 
The 62.1% shooting for Messiah fell just short of their season-best 62.9% performance against Rosemont College on opening night.

Widener had four players score in double-figures, led by Lawson (23 points). Dillon Fields added 19 points and matched Lawson with a tem-high eight rebounds.
 
The Falcons are now halfway through the conference schedule with just a single loss. They will being a second tour of their league foes on Saturday, Jan. 25 when they travel to Hood College for a 3:00 p.m. tip.

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