MIDDLETOWN, PA – Cairn Men's Basketball took on #2 Penn St. Harrisburg in the United East Men's Basketball Championship – Quarterfinal Round on Saturday, the first meeting between the Highlanders and Nittany Lions since 2008.
 
Off the tip, graduate forward Josiah Hardy (Ashburn, VA / Hampden-Sydney) scored the Highlanders' first points of the day as Penn St. Harrisburg (18-8 / 13-3 UNITED EAST) proceeded to outscore the Highlanders 11-2 through the second media timeout. Fifth year forward Isaiah Coleman (Fontana, CA / Clarks Summit University) and senior guard Jonathan Desir (Feasterville, PA / Neshaminy) hit threes out of the break to stay in the game. As the Nittany Lions found open looks in the paint and putback layups, graduate guard Corey Baldwin (Henderson, NC / Averett) made four three-pointers in a row to slow them down and cut the lead to nine.  Penn St. Harrisburg added a pair of layups in the closing minutes to take a 34-21 lead to halftime.
 
Hardy got the second half started with a layup, making both free throws a few minutes later as Coleman added a three. The Nittany Lions kept putting ground between them and Cairn (13-14 / 9-7 UNITED EAST) until graduate guard Jaylon Simpson (Atlanta, GA /  Belmont Abbey) made a three, the Highlanders shooting better than 50% from behind the arc to this point. Baldwin would drive to the paint, getting fouled as the Nittany Lions were over the limit and knock down both bonus free throws. Simpson hit another three as both sides entered a three-minute scoring drought. Hardy finally broke the dry spell, making the back end of a double bonus free throw opportunity with the Highlanders trailing by seven. Baldwin then broke away on a fastbreak layup after a big defensive board by Simpson. Junior forward Andre Burrell, Jr.'s (Philadelphia, PA / Burlington Co. Tech) putback layup put Cairn down by only five as Penn St. Harrisburg nailed a three.
 
With under five minutes to play, Hardy found himself again at the free throw line, making both. The Nittany Lions added a pair from the charity stripe, Baldwin hit again from deep, his fifth three-pointer of the game. Simpson drove to the paint, scoring a layup with the lead at three. Two free throws by Harrisburg made the lead five points as Desir splashed a three for a chance at a one-possession game. A layup on the other end put the lead back to four as Baldwin and Simpson came up empty on open looks just under a minute to play, resorting to having to begin taking fouls to regain possession. Harrisburg split a pair as Simpson nailed a three as the lead returned to three points with 15 seconds remaining. Cairn would come up empty on their next trip down the court with the Nittany Lions advancing 59-54.
 
Baldwin led the game with 19 points on 5-10 shooting from behind the arc. Simpson finished with twelve and three deep shots. Burrell, Jr. grabbed seven rebounds with the only Highlander blocked shot.