2/9/23

SCRANTON, Pa. -- Trailing 50-44 in the second half and needing a spark, Lackawanna College men's basketball, buoyed by a vocal and partisan Lackawanna College crowd, roared back to take a lead they'd never surrender, knocking off the top-dog in Region XIX, Raritan Valley, 84-74, on Sophomore Day Thursday evening in the Lackawanna College Student Union.
 
The Falcons (14-8, 5-3) played one of their best games of the year, shooting 44% from the field, and going 17-for-24 from the free throw line. The Falcons put four players in double-figures, including a season-high 26 points from Aamir Mack (Atlantic City, NJ) and 18 points from Malek Mims (Bethlehem, PA). Mack finished with a team-high 12 rebounds for his second double-double of the year, and the Falcons held a 52-37 rebounding advantage over the lanky Lions. Caleb Mims (Bethlehem, PA) had 16 points, 12 coming in the second half, and was 6-for-8 from the free throw line, while Nashawn Johnson (Bronx, NY) added 12 points and five rebounds. Joey Chapman (Reading, PA) led the Falcons with six assists on the night.
 
Raritan Valley (14-10, 6-2) shot 41% from the field, but just 26% from downtown, and only was 6-for-10 from the free throw line in the game, battling foul trouble throughout. The Lions had three players in double-figures, led by Damon Strand's 23 points and ten rebounds. Dan Dextraze added 18 points and eleven rebounds, but was just 2-for-8 from downtown. Eddie Davis battled foul trouble throughout, and finished with 12 points.
 
Lackawanna College now sits in second place in Region XIX DII by itself, one game behind Raritan Valley. They host the third-place team, Mercer County CC, on Saturday, February 11^th, in their next regular season contest. That game is set for a 1:00pm ET tip-off inside the Lackawanna College Student Union.