Pacers Hang On To Edge Defenders, 86-84
Prince Blacknall set a school record with 10 assist while also scoring a game-high 28 points in Marywood's win over Baptist Bible.

Pacers Hang On To Edge Defenders, 86-84

- 1/22/2009 10:18:41 PM

BOX SCORE

Scranton, PA – Prince Blacknall scored a game-high 28 points and set a school record with 10 assists to lead Marywood University to an 86-84 win over conference rival Baptist Bible before a spirited crowd in Scranton on Thursday evening. With the win, the Pacers improve to 11-5 on the season, matching the program record for wins in a season, set in the 2004-2005 campaign.

Marywood built a 13-7 lead over the first 4:55 of the contest led by nine points by Blacknall (Stroudsburg, PA), all from beyond the arc. Baptist Bible would tie the score at 13-13 on a Nathan Greve lay-up with 12:40 remaining in the half, but the Pacers responded with a 13-2 run over the next 5:37 to built a 26-15 lead.

The Pacers took a 41-32 lead into the locker room after shooting 52 percent from the floor in the opening half and outscoring the Defenders 15-0 from beyond the arc.

Blacknall's 15 first half points led the Pacers, while Travis Wash netted 16 points to lead Baptist Bible in the opening stanza.

The Defenders cut the hosts' lead to 43-41 early in the second half on a Wash lay-up, but Marywood extend their lead to 10 points at 66-56 after John Foreman (Sleepy Hollow, NY) converted a pair of lay-ups assisted by Karl Anderson (Macungie, PA) with 8:37 to play.

Baptist Bible would chip away at the Pacers' lead down the stretch, cutting it to 83-81 with 38 seconds to play after Wash followed up a Justin Cook three-pointer with a lay-up to bring the visitors to within two points.

Blacknall made a pair of free throws with 26 ticks left to restore the Pacers' four point lead, but Tom Waszaj nailed a three-pointer with two seconds left to cut Marywood lead to 85-84.

After Marywood's Jerome Gosney (Binghamton, NY) hit the front end of a pair of free throws, a desperation three-quarter court shot by the Defenders fell well short of the rim, giving the Pacers the win which improved their mark in conference play to 5-3.

Blacknall finished the night with a double-double on 26 points and 10 rebounds. The senior guard connected on 11 of 16 attempts from the floor was perfect from the free throw line and from three-point range after going three-for-three from beyond each line.

Foreman finished with 15 points while Sidney Tharpe (Victorville, CA) finished with 13 points and a team-best five rebounds. Medici was the fourth Pacer to net double-digits after finishing the night with 10 points.

Wash ended the night with a team-best 26 points for Baptist Bible, who dropped to 4-10 on the season and 2-5 in the CSAC with the loss. Greve had 21 points followed by Cook's 19. Waszaj was the fourth Defender in double-digits with 10 points.

Marywood will return to the court on Monday when they visit Keystone College for their first CSAC battle with the Giants. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. in La Plume.
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