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Widener built a 15-point lead and held on for dear life in an 80-77 Commonwealth Conference victory over Messiah at Schwartz Center.
Things looked good for the Pride (13-4, 4-1 CC) thanks to a 17-6 run over 7 1/2 minutes for a 73-58 lead with 6:02 left. Sophomore Chris McDevitt (Doylestown, PA) scored five points in that span.
But Widener would not hit a basket the rest of the way, having to withstand a furious comeback by Messiah (4-13, 2-3). Drew Sneeringer paced a 14-2 spurt with six points to bring the visitors within 77-74 with 41 seconds to play. Andy Hawk capped the run on a layup.
Senior Nyere Miller (Washington, DC) hit two free throws for a 79-74 margin with 38 seconds remaining, but missed two on the next possession. Jamie Yoder (Lancaster, PA) followed with a 3-pointer from the left corner with 14 seconds to go for Messiah and a 79-77 game.
Junior Bobby Edmunds (Linwood, NJ) nailed 1-of-2 from the stripe with 11 seconds left for an 80-77 contest, giving Messiah one last chance. But Widener's defense stepped up and Yoder missed a desperation 3-pointer from 30 feet at the buzzer.
Miller ended with 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting with four 3-pointers for Widener, which shot 54 percent (28-of-52) from the floor. Senior Matt Sosna (Stratford, NJ) netted 10 points with junior Jamarr Johnson (Pittsgrove, NJ) and freshman Jack Brennan (Stratford, NJ) adding nine apiece.
Colton Reitz scored 15 points off the bench for the Falcons, who shot 54 percent (28-of-52) from the floor and owned a commanding 40-17 rebounding edge. Sneeringer and Tyler Storch netted 13 points apiece, Yoder poured in 12 and Hawk had 11 and nine rebounds for Messiah.
Widener's victory keeps its one-half game ahead of Elizabethtown for first place in the conference.
Widener on Monday steps out of league play to visit Immaculata, beginning at 7:00 pm.
