Box Score
LANGHORNE, PA – It doesn’t matter how well a team shoots, defends, rebounds, or scores if that same team struggles to take care of the ball.
The Crimson Eagles, playing perhaps one of their better halves of the year through the fist 20 minutes of action against Neumann College Saturday evening, coughed up the ball 15 times in the second half en route to a 76-66 defeat in the Mason Activity Center against the Knights.
Despite limiting Neumann to one for 11 shooting beyond the three point arc for the game, the Crimson Eagles struggled to get in any type of offensive rhythm during the second stanza thanks – in large part – to the visitors swarming defensive pressure.
The Knight’s forced PBU into 24 turnovers for the game – tying the Crimson Eagles’ worst mark of the year – and recorded 14 offensive rebounds to help the visitors to their third CSAC triumph of the season.
PBU managed to keep the game tight through the intermission and entered the second period tied 36-all, but a somewhat lackluster offensive performance over the final 13 minutes of play ultimately spelled disaster for the host squad.
The Crimson Eagles would enjoy their last lead of the night with 13:55 remaining in the contest after senior Dan O’Brien connected on one of his two triples to put PBU up 45-44. Neumann would manage a 10-1 run over the next three minutes and would eventually separate the gap to nearly 15 with 3:50 remaining and the score locked at 67-52.
Forced to foul, it proved to be too little too late as the Knights efficiently canned 14 of 15 free throws in the second stanza to hold onto the lead.
Senior forward Tom Arthur finished the night with 20 points and six rebounds while senior guard Mike Phillips added a career high 14 points while hitting four of six attempts from deep. Seniors Austin McCardle and Jon Delgado put up similar numbers of 10 points and four boards while senior Dan O’Brien contributed eight points and a career high nine assists.
The Crimson Eagles will get back in action on Monday when the team hits the road to take on the Cyclones of Centenary College at 8:00 pm.
