READING, PA – The Cairn University Men's Basketball team was in Reading on Thursday night taking on the Nittany Lions of Penn State – Berks. Although a close matchup at the half, the Highlanders pulled away for the 104-80 win.
 
Box Score Details

• Senior forward Derian Bradford (Lansdale, PA / University of Valley Forge) was the top scorer for the Highlanders, knocking down 25 points on 11-14 shooting with 9 rebounds and three assists.
• Senior guard Aytor Alberto (Willemstad, Curaçao / Clarks Summit University) collected a double-double, scoring 22 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.
• Senior forward Owen Bradford's (Lansdale, PA / University of Valley Forge) post work rewarded him with 15 points.
• As a team, the Highlanders shot an even 52% from the floor with 58 points in the paint with proved to be pivotal, only making two shots made from behind the arc.

 
How It Played Out

• The game was fought back and forth for in the early part as both squads traded the lead until about the halfway mark.
• Ten minutes in, Cairn (2-0) would start building a lead sparked by a layup from fifth year guard Josh Forker (Telford, PA / Faith Christian Academy) who knocked down the proceeding and-one free throw. Derian Bradford made a pair of layups to keep the lead at 8.
• Penn State – Berks (0-4) mounted a comeback to make it a three-point game going to the half.
• Out of the break, the Highlander piled onto their lead, pushing it as far as 34 points thanks to shooting 54% from the floor as a team in the second half.
• The Nittany Lions would finish the game on a 12-4 run but it would be of no avail as the Highlander lead proved to be too much.

 
Game Notes

• In both Highlander wins this season, both Derian Bradford and Aytor Alberto have been in double digits for points as Bradford is now averaging 25.5 ppg and Alberto 20.5 ppg.
• With his 25 points on Thursday night, Bradford now sits at 991 career points.

 
Upcoming Schedule

• The home opener for Cairn Men's Basketball takes place on Monday as the Blue Jays of Manor College travel to Langhorne for a 7 p.m. tip off.
• Cairn then has their last non-conference tune up after the Holliday at St. Joseph's of Brooklyn before beginning conference play hosting Valley Forge on Wednesday, November 29.