MADISON, N.J. – The Lebanon Valley Men's Basketball team had three scorers in double figures but a strong second half allowed host FDU-Florham to defeat the Dutchmen 72-64 on Wednesday evening at the Ferguson Recreation Center in Madison.
 
LVC (8-8, 2-3 MAC Freedom) got off to a great start as they scored the first 10 points of the game while holding the Devils (7-9, 1-4 MAC Freedom) off the scoreboard for the first 5:37 of the game. Ryan Harder began the scoring with a made jumper on his first shot of the game. A couple of possessions later Jason Penn knocked down a three off an assist by Kyle Tang. Harder then found Evin Timochenko underneath for two points before Harder hit a three with just under 16 minutes on the clock to put the Dutchmen up 10-0. The Devils got on the board with a layup in transition. The Dutchmen responded with a bucket from Timochenko and then FDU-Florham scored the next five points to cut the lead to 12-7.
 
Harder pushed the lead back up to eight with a three-point play midway through the half. The Devils answered with a bucket at the other end and. FDU then used a pair of threes to get within two at 17-15 with 6:45 on the clock. Tang found Timochenko for a layup and then Penn hit one of two free throw attempts to get the lead up to five. The advantage was three when Penn knocked down a three-pointer with a little under three minutes to go in the half. The Devils cut it down to 23-20 before Evan Smith hit a three. The teams traded scores over the final minute and the Dutchmen went into halftime with a 28-25 advantage.
 
The Devils began the scoring in the second half with a three to tie the game up. Penn gave the Dutchmen back the lead driving the length of the court for a layup off a defensive rebound. FDU-Florham responded with a three to take the lead before Timochenko scored down low to put LVC up 32-31. The Devils tied the game with a free throw and then hit another three to take a three-point advantage with 15 minutes left. LVC responded with a Timochenko bucket and a pair of made foul shots by Penn. The Devils scored the next four points to go back up by three before Braden Bohannon and Penn hit back-to-back threes giving the Dutchmen back the lead.
 
FDU-Florham came out of a timeout and sandwiched a Timochenko bucket with a pair of three-pointers to retake the lead. Bohannon found Smith open for a jumper and FDU responded with a basket at the other end. The Devils still led by one with nine minutes on the clock when they used a pair of layups to push the advantage to five at 52-47. Harder knocked down a big three at the top of the key to cut it to two with seven minutes on the clock. FDU-Florham was able to keep the Dutchmen from making a field goal for the next six minutes even though LVC was able to get to the line and made six of eight free throw attempts during the stretch. However, the Devils managed to outscore the Dutchmen 14-6 during the span to increase the lead to 10 at 66-56. Bohannon hit a jumper with just over a minute to play. The Dutchmen fouled and after one of two made free throws Harder cut the lead to six with a three-pointer. The Devils made both of their free throws before Penn was fouled while shooting a three. He knocked down all three attempts to get the advantage to five, but the Devils hit three of four free throws in the final 10 seconds to set the final score.
 
Inside the Box

• Penn and Harder had 17 points and six rebounds apiece. Penn was 4-9 from the floor and made a trio of three pointers while dishing out three assists. He was 6-7 at the line. Harder also knocked down three threes and was 5-12 from the floor and 4-5 at the line. The senior is averaging 16.4 points in conference play this year.
• Timochenko scored 16 points and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. The senior was 7-15 from the floor and dished out an assist.
• Smith finished with five points and four rebounds while Bohannon scored five points and pulled down three rebounds.
• Tang dished out four assists and had three rebounds with two points.
• LVC held a 36-28 rebounding advantage and pulled down 11 boards on the offensive glass.
• The Dutchmen equaled their season-low in turnovers with nine.

Up Next
LVC will look to rebound on Saturday as they travel to Glenside where they will face Arcadia University at 4 p.m. inside Alumni Gymnasium.

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