Box Score

GRANTHAM, Pa. – Junior guard Evan Harlor (Danville, Pa./Danville) scored a season-high 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-8 from downtown, and Lebanon Valley halted a five-game losing streak, defeating Messiah College 73-50 in Commonwealth Conference men’s basketball action Saturday evening.

Sophomore forward Steve Buzinski (West Pittston, Pa./Wyoming Area) added a career-high 14 points for Lebanon Valley (7-10, 2-4 CC) while teammate Darren Pugh (Shippensburg, Pa./Shippensburg) contributed 14 points, a team-high eight rebounds and a game-high three blocked shots. Pugh moved closer to breaking LVC’s all-time rebounding record, as he needs just 12 more boards to pass Andy Panko ’99 for the all-time mark.

Sophomore guard J.D. Byers (Westminster, Md./Westminster) also hit double figures in scoring with 11 points. He also handed out a game-high five assists.

Freshman forward Gian Paul Gonzales led Messiah (6-9, 1-5 CC) with 16 points.

LVC jumped to a 15-5 lead to open the game and the Falcons needed 9:37 to hit their first field goal. The Dutchmen put together a 42-second, 7-0 run that extended the Valley’s lead to 14 (24-10) with 4:42 left in the half.

Messiah made just five field goals in the opening half and shot a paltry 20.0% (5-of-24) from the field.

Lebanon Valley took a 14-point lead (29-15) into halftime and Messiah never threatened again. The Falcons would only pull to within 13 the rest of the way and LVC saw its lead reach as much as 30 late in the game.

LVC held Messiah to 34.0% shooting for the game. Lebanon Valley hit on 42.2% of their shots.

The Dutchmen return to Commonwealth Conference play on Wednesday when the team hosts Juniata College at 8 p.m. in the second game of a men’s and women’s doubleheader.

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