READING, Pa. – The Moravian College men's basketball team defeated Elms College, 69-67, on Friday night in the Albright College Tournament. Junior center Cameron Cullen led the way for the Greyhounds after recording his first career double-double off of 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Senior forward Aaron Thieme would net the first basket of the contest 30 seconds in. After trading buckets back-and-forth, sophomore forward Garrett Kashmer hit a deep three-pointer to put the Hounds up 7-6 five minutes into the game.
The Blazers took a 12-9 lead with 14 minutes left in the half after a jumper from sophomore guard Piere Simpson. Kashmer hit his second three of the half to put Moravian up 14-12 seven minutes in. Both teams would stay right with each other until the Hounds took a 22-19 lead with eight minutes remaining in the first half after buckets from senior guard Garrett Johnson and junior guard Kenny Gula. Elms then went on a 7-0 run to take a 26-22 lead after a three from senior guard Walter Mfuko, and buckets from classmate guards James Black and Andre French.
The Greyhounds rallied back to take a 35-32 lead before the Blazers retook the lead back after Simpson hit a last second shot to end the half. Elms would take a 36-35 lead into the locker room.
The Blazers hit the first bucket of the second half but back-to-back buckets from Johnson and senior forward Mike Weinert knotted the contest at 39, four minutes into the half. Two minutes later, Cullen and senior guard D.J. Strayhorn pushed the Hounds lead to 43-39. Freshman guard Jarrod Dilts continued the Moravian run with a three-pointer, and then a layup to put the Hounds up 48-39 with 13 minutes remaining in the contest.
French hit a two free throws to end the Greyhounds 15-0 to make the score 50-41, Moravian with 12:23 to play in the contest. Both teams kept trading baskets for the next five minutes as a three from French would bring Elms within five points of Moravian at 57-52 with seven minutes to play. French added a layup after that, but Strayhorn hit the jumper to end the Blazers run to make the score 59-56 with six minutes left in the contest.
A three-pointer from the wing by Cullen would put the Hounds back up by five with 3:22 to play. Freshman guard Jerry Buchanon for hit the layup, and then French stole the ball and took it in for the layup to make the score 64-63, Morvian with 2:20 left in the game. Two made free throws from Cullen put the Hounds back up by three with 2:11 remaining in the contest. Cullen then hit another pair of free throws with 1:37 left to put Moravian up 68-63. Senior forward Darius Griffin brought Elms within one point at 68-67 with 44 seconds remaining the game after two free throws. It was too little too late for the Blazers as they fell 69-67
Moravian shot 41-percent from the field in the game while Elms shot 29-percent. The Greyhounds out rebounded the Blazers 57-49 while Elms committed only 13 turnovers compared to Moravian's 27.
Strayhorn finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and two assists while Thieme had eight points and six boards. Johnson added eight points and six rebounds while Weinert put up six points and five boards.
French led the way for Elms with a game-high 24 points to go with his three steals and five boards. Senior forward David McDaniel had eight points and ten boards while Simpson had eight points, five rebounds and four assists for the Blazers.
The Greyhounds will play the winner of the Albright College versus Immaculata University game in the championship game of the Albright Tournament tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m.
