(box score)
In a game that was close throughout, Widener was held without a basket in the final 1:51 and suffered a tough 59-54 Commonwealth Conference setback at Messiah in Grantham, PA.
In a game neither team led by more than four points over the first 39 minutes, Widener looked like it grabbed the momentum with 1:51 remaining. Following a pair of timeouts for the Pride, junior Perry Wright (Severn, MD) canned a huge 3-pointer to give his squad a 52-51 lead.
That cushion was short-lived. Messiah came down the other end and got a layup from Christyan DeVan with 1:27 remaining for a 53-52 contest.
Widener again looked to Wright for the lead, but his shot was no good and was rebounded by the Falcons' Derek Mosely. After a turnover, senior Chris McDevitt (Doylestown, PA) misfired on a shot and Messiah's Jeremiah Runkle got the rebound.
Runkle wasted no time by sprinting down the floor and dunking it home for a 55-52 Messiah lead with 27 seconds remaining. After Wright missed a jumper, Runkle canned two free throws with 16 seconds to go for a five-point Falcons lead.
Wright scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds with junior Jack Brennan (Stratford, NJ) adding 10 points for the Pride, who shot 43 percent (18-of-42) from the floor but only 3-of-11 from 3-point range.
Runkle had 14 points and 12 rebounds, David Fernandez scored 17 points and Mosley added 11 off the bench for the Falcons, who shot 48 percent (18-of-49) from the field in the second half and outscored the Pride, 36-27.
Widener (9-10, 4-4 CC) sits in a three-way tie for fourth place in the conference with Messiah (9-9, 4-4) and Lebanon Valley.
Widener next Wednesday hosts Albright at 8:00 pm.
