Lycoming College scored 53 points in the second-half to overcome a 12-point deficit at the break and defeat the Messiah men's basketball team by a score of 87-75 on Wednesday night.
 
After the Falcons took a 69-67 lead on a Matt Hess layup with 6:10 left, Lycoming went on a 12-0 run. Alex Newbold hit two free throws, and then Willie Key knocked down a triple and followed with a steal in the open court for an easy layup. A David Johnson three and another layup from Key gave the Warriors a ten-point lead with three minutes to play.
 
Colin Sareyka would cut the deficit to seven, 82-75, with a triple from the top of the key with 1:18 remaining, but Lycoming was able to use the entire shot clock on their ensuing possession and find Nyk King for a buzzer-beating layup. Three free throws later, the Warriors took the 12-point victory.
 
Four players scored in double figures for the Warriors, including David Johnson with a game-high 21 on 5-of-8 shooting (3-of-4 3pt) and a perfect 8-8 from the charity stripe. Trent Bishop was solid on the post for Lycoming, notching 11 points, six boards, and two blocks.
 
The Falcons had five double-digit scorers, with Logan Long and Josh Clippinger each tallying 15 and Luke Cable, Sareyka, and Rob McWilliams all recording 10. Clippinger also chipped in seven rebounds and McWilliams had three steals.
 
Lycoming shot 60.4% from the field and 40% from distance in the game, including an astonishing 81.82% (18-22) and 66.67% (4-6), respectively, in the second-half. The first-half went the other way, as Messiah had the hot hand from deep, knocking down six of their ten attempted three-pointers.
 
The disheartening loss wasted a fantastic first-half effort from Messiah, who led 45-33 at the break. The Falcons were down in the very early going, but a jumper by Luke Cable five minutes in gave them an 11-10 advantage. That bucket spurred a 30-13 run for Messiah. Three of Logan Long's five triples in the game came consecutively in a span of 74 seconds to give the Falcons their biggest lead of the contest, 18, at the 5:17 mark.
 
Lycoming would score the last five points of the first-half, however, building momentum that would carry over to the second period in a big way. After trading buckets for the first two minutes to make it 51-39, the Warriors went on an 11-0 run to cut the deficit to a point. Luke Cable answered with a three to make it 54-51, and Messiah would hold a slim advantage until the 11:14 mark, when Willie Kee intercepted a pass at midcourt and found Alex Newbold for an easy layup to give Lycoming a 59-58 lead.
 
The lead changed four times over the next five minutes, until the score was tied at 69, and the Warriors would begin their run to finish off the comeback.

Lycoming's game plan was to get to the basket for close shots and try to get fouled, and it worked very well, as they scored 38 points in the paint compared to 24 for Messiah, as well as getting to the charity stripe 33 times and making 25 for a 75.8 % clip. The Falcons attempted just over half as many free throws, 17, and put through 12.
 
Messiah next plays this Saturday as they travel to face Division I opponent University of Maryland-Baltimore County in an exhibition game at 1:00 p.m.