GRANTHAM, Pa. – The Messiah Men's Basketball team faced off against the Green Terror of McDaniel College on Wednesday night, dropping a close contest 70-67. Messiah started the game with a run to take the lead, but McDaniel responded with a run of their own. The teams then traded the lead the remainder of the half, with McDaniel leading 36-33 at the break. The teams battled throughout the second half, with McDaniel holding off the Falcons late to win 70-67. Caleb Lyles led Messiah with 19 points, while Ben Wert and Jordan Edwards-Saliu each added 11.
 
Up next, the Falcons travel to Marywood University on Dec. 10, at 6:00 p.m.
 
First Half
Messiah went on a 6-0 run to start the game, with Jordan Edwards-Saliu opening the scoring with a bucket and Ben Wert adding a three. McDaniel responded with a 7-0 run of their own, taking the lead with 16;52 remaining in the half. Caleb Lyles scored the next five points for the Falcons to restore their lead, but a few McDaniel baskets tied the game 11-11 with 15:19 to play in the half. The Green Terror knocked down a couple free throws to take a 13-11 lead, but Miles Longacre hit a three to make it 14-13 Falcons. Ben Wert quickly added another three for Messiah, but McDaniel grabbed the lead back, 18-17, with 13:20 left in the half. The teams battled defensively for the next two and half minutes before Jordan Edwards-Saliu hit a three, giving Messiah a 20-18 lead with 10:56 remaining in the half. Over the next few minutes, Edwards-Saliu, Ben Wert, and Johnny McBride each added layups as the teams traded baskets, with McDaniel leading 29-28. Myles Herbert hit a three to make it 31-29, giving Messiah the lead back with 4:13 left in the half. McDaniel would outscore Messiah 7-2 to end the half, taking a 36-33 lead into the break.
 
Second Half
A quick basket for McDaniel extended their lead to five, but Myles Herbert made a three for Messiah's first basket of the half with 19:15 remaining. No baskets were scored over the next three minutes before Myles hit another three to give the Falcons a 39-38 lead. Caleb Lyles then added a three of his own, with Messiah leading 42-40 and 15:26 to play. The Green Terror scored the next four points to take the lead back, but Caleb Lyles hit a bucket to tie it, and Peyton Rummler added his first basket of the game to make it 46-44, Messiah, with 11:38 left in the half. Caleb Lyles added a bucket as the teams battled over the next few minutes, with the game tied 50-50 and 8:58 left on the clock. The Green Terror would begin to take over, going on an 11-2 run to take a 61-52 lead with 5:31 left in the game. Ben Wert hit a jumper for Messiah, but McDaniel responded with a three to push their lead to double digits, 64-54. Caleb Lyles dropped in a free throw and a three to give Messiah some momentum, down 64-58 with 4:05 left. Over the next four minutes the teams traded free throws, with Messiah getting within one-point, at 68-67, but it wasn't enough, as McDaniel held on to win 70-67.
 
Stats
Caleb Lyles led Messiah with 19 points, while Ben Wert and Jordan Edwards-Saliu each added 11. Myles Herbert had nine points and three assists. Johhny McBride had five points with eight rebounds, and Miles Longacre added seven points. Messiah shot 40.4 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three. McDaniel shot 45.1 percent from the field and 20.0 percent from three.
 
Up Next
The Falcons travel to Marywood University on Dec. 10, at 6:00 p.m.