ANNVILLE, Pa. – Lebanon Valley senior Kyle Tang led the men's basketball team with 17 points and seven assists on Saturday afternoon as the Dutchmen dropped a hard-fought 82-72 decision to conference-leading Arcadia University on Senior Day at Sorrentino Gymnasium.
 
Tang gave the Dutchmen (6-17, 4-8 MAC Freedom) the early leads as he intercepted a pass and took it in for a fastbreak layup. Arcadia (17-6, 10-2 MAC Freedom) responded with the next three points to take its first lead of the game. Tang gave LVC the lead right back as he knocked down a step-back jumper just inside the elbow. The teams traded buckets as Giovanni Sejuste put back a missed three-pointer to give the Dutchmen a 6-5 lead. The Knights made a traditional three-point play at the other end to begin a 7-0 run. Brendan Lonergan stopped the run with a layup. Sejuste then made it a three-point game as he knocked down the front end of two shots at the line.
 
Arcadia used a pair of three-pointers during a 9-0 run over a span of two minutes to increase the advantage to 21-9. The Dutchmen called a timeout to stop the momentum. Sejuste was fouled going to the rim out of the break and made both his free throws. The Knights countered with a three-pointer and a bucket in the paint before Tang hit a pull-up jumper just inside the three-point line in the corner. Arcadia kept the pressure up and was able to push the advantage to a game-high 18 points with 6:16 remaining in the half.
 
Reed Melvin scored 11 consecutive points for the Dutchmen during the run with four buckets in the paint and a three-pointer.  His last five points cut the deficit down to 13 at 38-25 with five minutes left in the half. Tang got the deficit down to 10 with a steal and bucket, and then a driving layup. The Dutchmen kept up the defensive pressure and held the Knights without a made field goal for the final six minutes of the half. All six points the Knights scored during the final six minutes were at the line. Gannon Perlini and Melvin knocked down a three-pointer to make it 44-35 at the half.
 
Arcadia went almost three minutes into the second half without a made field goal. Tang found Jason Penn in transition for a three-pointer on the right side and then Sejuste worked his way to the rim for a layup to make it a five-point game at 45-40. The Knights made a jumper and then got out in transition following a LVC miss for a quick bucket to push the advantage back up to nine. Tang pulled up for a three-pointer at the top of the key, but the Knights answered with a three of their own at the other end. Sejuste and Tang made buckets to counter another three-pointer by the Knights to make it 55-48 with 14:26 left to play.
 
The next score didn't come for another three minutes when a made free throw and a three-pointer following a Dutchmen turnover put the Knights up by 11. Tang drove to the hoop for two, and then Michael Main hit a pair of shots at the line. Then Knights used a pair of baskets in the paint and a free throw around a Melvin bucket to extend the lead to 10. The deficit was eight following a Phil Unangst made free throw with 6:07 remaining. The Knights scored seven consecutive points over the next minute to take a 15-point lead. Bandy stopped the run with a layup, and then Unangst answered an Arcadia bucket with a three-pointer on the left side. The Knights were able to extend the advantage back up to 16 with just under three minutes to play. Sejuste scored four points in a minute to keep the Dutchmen alive. LVC got the deficit back to single digits in the final minute as Penn knocked down a three-pointer and Bandy hit a turnaround jumper at the free throw line. The Knights finished the game at the line to hold on for an 82-72 victory.
 
Inside the Box

• Tang was 8-for-10 from the floor with a three-pointer to account for his 17 points. He dished out seven assists, recorded three steals, and grabbed three rebounds.
• Melvin scored 16 points and pulled down four rebounds. The first-year shot 7-for-12 from the floor.
• Sejuste was the third scorer in double figures with 13 points. He also had five rebounds and three blocks.
• Penn made a pair of three-pointers and finished with nine points, two rebounds, and two assists.
• Unangst led the Dutchmen with six rebounds. He also scored four points in 14 minutes off the bench.
• The Dutchmen scored 30 points in the paint and shot 48.2 percent from the floor.
• LVC blocked a season-high six shots in a game that had five lead changes.

Up Next
The Dutchmen will play their final home game of the season on Wednesday as LVC welcomes Stevens Institute of Technology to Sorrentino Gymnasium for a 7 p.m. start.

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