OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Payton Lewis led three Dutchmen men's basketball scorers in double figures with 23 points in a hard-fought 79-74 defeat at Stevenson University in the return to Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth (MAC Commonwealth) play after the holiday break.

The Mustangs (8-5, 2-2 MAC Commonwealth) scored the first five points of the game. LVC (4-9, 2-2 MAC Commonwealth) got on the board on a jumper by Lewis and tied the game up at eight on a driving layup by Luis Garcia with 16:39 on the clock. Stevenson responded with a 12-0 run taking a 20-8 lead. The Dutchmen chipped into the lead and tied things up at 35 before Collin Jones gave LVC the lead 36-35 on a free throw following a technical foul by the Mustangs. Garcia gave the Dutchmen a three-point lead on a jumper with 3:23 left in the half. Stevenson ended the half on 10-3 run to take a 45-41 lead into the locker room.
 
Stevenson started the second half on a 15-8 run over the first five minutes to go up 11 points. Jones hit a pair of jumpers and then Evan Smith knocked down a huge three from the top of the key to cut the lead down to four. After trading baskets, Lewis hit a trey to bring the Dutchmen within one at 64-63 with nine minutes to go. The Mustangs responded with a 6-0 run to make it a seven-point game with six on the clock. LVC fought back and cut the lead down to three on a pair of Jones free throws with 2:30 left. The Mustangs scored the next basket of the game with 28 seconds remaining. Jones hit a quick jumper, but the Mustangs ended the game with a pair of free throws to go back up by five.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Lewis had his second 20-plus point game of the season with a game-high 23. He knocked down five of seven threes.
• Jones finished with 22 points and eight rebounds. It was his third straight game with 20-plus points and seventh of the year.
• Garcia was the third Dutchmen in double figures with 10 points.
• Ryan Harder had seven points and five rebounds while Kyle Tang led LVC with five assists.
• Lebanon Valley shot a season-best 56 percent from the field making 28 of 50 field goals.

Up Next
The Dutchmen will play their first home game in nearly on month on Saturday as they host Alvernia University at 1 p.m. inside Sorrentino Gymnasium.

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