DALLAS, Pa. – Lebanon Valley Men's Basketball senior Ryan Harder became the 39th player in program history to score his 1,000th career point on Monday evening with a game-high 27 in an 84-78 defeat at Misericordia University in Dallas inside the Anderson Center.
 
Harder, who entered the game needing just 20 points to reach 1,000, led a second half comeback effort with 20 of his 27 points coming in the final 20 minutes of play. A native of nearby Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, the senior was able to score his milestone bucket in front of a big crowd of family and friends.
 
The Dutchmen (10-11, 4-6 MAC Freedom) got off to a great start against the Cougars (13-8, 6-4 MAC Freedom) with buckets on the first two offensive possessions of the game. Evin Timochenko put back a miss down low and then found Kyle Tang streaking towards the rim. Misericordia responded with a 6-0 run over the next two minutes to go up by two. The teams traded missed shots for close to three minutes before a pair of made free throws and a layup gave the hosts a 10-4 lead. Harder scored his first bucket of the game on a layup off a pass from Tang. After a Cougar bucket, the senior knocked down a three to make it 12-9. The teams traded buckets and then a traditional three-point play put Misericordia up by six. Harder hit a pair of free throws and after a layup by Misericordia, Tyson Hofsass hit a three. Michael Main grabbed a defensive rebound and pushed the ball up the court finding Braden Bohannon for a transition layup to get the Dutchmen within one at 19-18 with 9:38 on the clock.
 
The Cougars briefly stopped the Dutchmen run with a layup, but Timochenko knocked down a three for the third time in the past four games to even the score at 21. The game was tied at 23 when the Cougars used a 6-0 run over four possessions by each team to retake the lead. Tyler Kerlin knocked down a three for the Dutchmen, but Misericordia answered right back with a three. Another three-pointer put the hosts up 37-28 with 3:21 remaining in the half. The Cougars were able to extend the lead to 12 but LVC gained some momentum heading into the locker rooms as Bohannon found Timochenko in the paint for a jumper on the final play of the half.
 
The Dutchmen came out strong in the second half cutting the deficit down to five in the first two minutes. Bohannon started the run with a layup while being fouled. He converted the shot at the line. Timochenko scored on a jumper in the paint before Evan Smith came up with a steal and Harder finished off the offensive possession with a layup. The lead was still five when Misericordia hit back-to-back threes to push the advantage back to double digits at 52-41. The Dutchmen countered right back with a layup by Tang and two buckets from Harder to get back to a five-point deficit. The Cougars sandwiched a Tang jumper with a pair of threes to increase the lead to 58-49 before Harder knocked down a jumper with just over 13 minutes left. After a pair of free throws for the Cougars, Smith knocked down a three. Misericordia answered with a pair of layups and the Dutchmen countered with another Smith three to make it 64-57 with 10 minutes remaining.
 
The Misericordia lead was at eight points when Harder knocked down a three to give him 998 career points. The Cougars used three made shots at the line ad a three pointer to build the lead back up to 72-61. Harder was fouled and went to the line for two shots with 7:22 left in the half. He made both shots for his milestone point. The Dutchmen used the excitement to build momentum. Timochenko scored down low and then Harder hit a three to get the Dutchmen within four. After another stop, Timochenko was fouled and made both his shots at the line cut the score to 72-70. The teams traded buckets and then Misericordia was able to use an 8-0 run over the next three minutes to take an 82-72 lead with a minute left. The Dutchmen received two buckets in the paint by Timochenko and a layup from Harder in the final minute, but the Cougars made two of four free throws to hang on for the six-point victory.
 
Inside the Box

• Harder scored a game-high 27 points to become the newest member of the 1,000-point club. He was 10-18 from the field with three made threes and 4-5 at the line. The senior has scored at least 20 points in seven games this season. Harder added five rebounds and three assists.
• Timochenko finished with his seventh double-double of the season scoring 24 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. The senior was 10-16 from the field and 3-4 at the line.
• Tang filled the stat sheet with eight points, seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals.
• Smith had six points on a pair of threes while Bohannon added five points and five rebounds.
• The Dutchmen scored 42 points in the paint and outscored the Cougars 46-42 in the second half.

Up Next
LVC will face FDU-Florham on Wednesday evening inside Sorrentino Gymnasium. The Dutchmen are currently seventh in the conference standings but just a game out of a five-way tie for third with four games remaining in the regular season. Tip against the Devils is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Annville.

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