(box score)
Widener used great shooting and exceptional defense to take control in the first half en route to a 69-50 Commonwealth Conference victory over Alvernia at Schwartz Center.
Freshman Bob Makor (Philadelphia, PA) scored seven points on 3-of-6 shooting and senior Jarrell Nelson (Waldorf, MD) netted six in the opening half for the Pride (10-12, 5-6 CC), who opened a 29-16 lead. Widener shot 43 percent (13-of-30) from the field in that stretch and limited Alvernia to a mere 22 percent (5-of-23).
The Crusaders (13-6, 9-2) tried to make a game of it, closing to 54-43 with 5:19 to go on a 3-pointer from William Harmon to end a 5-0 run. But junior Jack Brennan (Stratford, NJ) had a monster dunk and followed with a fast-break layup that was the catalyst for an 11-0 spurt and a 65-43 Widener margin with 2:27 left.
Makor poured in 16 points, one shy of his season best, on 6-of-9 shooting to help the Pride shoot 63 percent (15-of-24) from the floor in the second half and 52 percent (28-of-54) overall to end a six-game slide. Brennan and Nelson added 14 points apiece with junior BJ Smith (Baltimore, MD) grabbing eight rebounds.
Tad Gillis scored 11 points and Brian Nerney added 10 for Alvernia, which shot 31 percent (17-of-55) from the floor.
Widener on Saturday visits Elizabethtown for a 4:00 pm start.
