ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE MEN'S BASKETBALL
Saturday, January 12, 2008

Elizabethtown Earns 900th Win in Men's Basketball Program History with 78-72 Win at Alvernia

Click here for the box score

READING, Pa. --- Senior Mike Schatzmann (Paradise, PA/Pequea Valley) scored 24 of his career-high 34 points in the second half to lead the Elizabethtown College men's basketball team to the 900th win in program history, a 78-72 victory at Alvernia College in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon.

Schatzmann, who also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, scored 12 points in the final 5 minutes, 12 seconds as the Blue Jays (12-1 overall) erased a 43-31 halftime deficit by holding the Crusaders (4-7 overall) to 28.9 percent shooting in the second half and 36.2 percent for the game.

In all, four players scored in double figures for the Blue Jays, with senior Bryce Rodgers (Waynesboro, PA/Waynesboro) and sophomore Mike Church (Peach Bottom, PA/Solanco) finishing with 12 points apiece and senior Chad Piersol (Elverson, PA/Owen J. Roberts) adding 11 points.

Matt King led Alvernia with 21 points, with Terrence Shawell adding 15 points and nine rebounds before fouling out with 3:07 to play. The Crusaders shot 36.2 percent (25-for-69) overall from the field in the game.

After trailing by 12 at halftime, the Blue Jays opened the second half with a 23-4 run to take a 54-47 lead on a jumper by Church with 10:41 to play. At one point, Alvernia was held without a point for a span of 5 minutes, 27 seconds during a 13-0 Blue Jay run.

Alvernia rallied back with eight straight points to move ahead 55-54 on a basket by Shawell with 9:21 to go, and the teams swapped the lead four times before Schatzmann gave the Blue Jays a 63-61 lead on his fifth three-pointer of the game with 5:12 to go.

The Blue Jays led 69-63 following a foul shot by Piersol with 1:57 left, but the Crusaders tied the game at 69-69 on back-to-back three-pointers by Derek Dubbs and King, the latter knotting the contest with 1:05 to go.

However, Schatzmann converted a three-point play with 58 seconds left to give the Blue Jays the lead for good at 72-69, and added four foul shots in the final 20 seconds to keep the Crusaders from a late rally.

The Blue Jays finished 24-for-28 from the foul line in the game, and held a 44-34 edge in rebounding over the Crusaders. Elizabethtown committed 21 turnovers in the contest, leading to 28 points by Alvernia.

Also reaching double figures for the Crusaders were Tyrone Bradley, who tallied 12 points, and Zach Westmoreland who finished with 10 points.

ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE 78, ALVERNIA COLLEGE 72
ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE (12-1)
Mike Schatzmann 8-15 13-14 34; Mike Church 5-13 2-3 12; Bryce Rodgers 4-4 4-4 12; Chad Piersol 4-10 3-4 11; Joe Flanagan 1-2 0-0 3; Josh Houseal 1-2 1-1 3; Phil Schaffer 1-2 0-0 2; Keith Fogel 0-4 1-2 1; Tony Romero 0-1 0-0 0; Jordan Dirago 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-53 24-28 78.
ALVERNIA COLLEGE (4-7)
Matt King 7-20 3-3 21; Terrence Shawell 6-14 2-2 15; Tyrone Bradley 5-9 2-6 12; Zach Westmoreland 2-11 6-8 10; David Washington 3-11 0-0 9; Derek Dubbs 1-1 0-0 3; Nick Rivera 1-2 0-0 2; Brandon Woods 0-1 0-0 0; Eric Barefield 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-69 13-19 72.
Elizabethtown College......... 31 47 - 78
Alvernia College.............. 43 29 - 72
3-point goals--Elizabethtown College 6-16 (Mike Schatzmann 5-9; Joe Flanagan 1-2; Chad Piersol 0-3; Keith Fogel 0-1; Mike Church 0-1), Alvernia College 9-24 (Matt King 4-9; David Washington 3-9; Terrence Shawell 1-4; Derek Dubbs 1-1; Zach Westmoreland 0-1). Fouled out--Elizabethtown College-None, Alvernia College-Terrence Shawell. Rebounds--Elizabethtown College 44 (Mike Schatzmann 10), Alvernia College 34 (Terrence Shawell 9). Assists--Elizabethtown College 12 (Phil Schaffer 5), Alvernia College 16 (David Washington 7). Total fouls--Elizabethtown College 17, Alvernia College 21. Technical fouls--Elizabethtown College-None, Alvernia College-None. A-565