1/22/26
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Five Falcons scored in double-figures and Lackawanna College men's basketball took down #20 SUNY Orange CC, 93-74, in non-region action on Tuesday night inside the historic Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium.
 
Lackawanna College (11-8) played one of its best games of the season, limiting the high-powered Colts, averaging 92 points per game and shooting nearly 50% from the floor this year, to just 74 points and 38.6% shooting, respectively.
 
A tight first half saw the Falcons build a 17-10 lead, only to see the Colts (16-3) storm back to tie things up. Orange eventually took the lead at 27-26 with five minutes to play in the half, but the Falcons rallied to get back in front, eventually taking the lead for good on a quick break and a score from Noah Elias (Silver Spring, MD) that made it 39-37 at the break.
 
Expecting the Colts to make a run in the second half, the Falcon defense remained firm to start the stanza. Elijah Smith (Washington, D.C.) scored the first bucket, Elias scored through contact and completed a three-point play, and the Falcons re-established a seven-point advantage.
 
A three-pointer from Orange three minutes into the half brought the Colts within four at 46-42, but the Falcons weathered the storm and held the lead firmly at 52-45 with 14:47 to play. With fouls mounting, Lackawanna began to head to the free throw line. Time-and-time again, the Falcons connected, eventually making 27 free throws in the second half and 37 for the game. The lead grew and grew, as the Falcons went on a 21-7 run to go ahead at 73-52 with eight minutes to go. Xavier Spears (Brooklyn, NY) hit two three-pointers, and the Falcons hit ten free throws in the stretch.
 
The lead grew out to 23 points with under seven to play, and Orange struggled to close the gap, only really getting as close as 16 points with just over as four minutes to go, but never hitting its normal comfortable rhythm.
 
Lackawanna shot 53% from the floor and went 37-for-44 from the free throw line, hitting 84% from the line for the game. Jaksa Pejovic (Podgorica, Montenegro) led the charge with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Smith had a career-high 18 points and seven rebounds. Latrell Mark (Frederick, MD) had 14 points and seven rebounds, while both Elias and Jahsan Simms (Hillside, NJ) each scored ten points. The Falcons had 23 turnovers, but had 21 points off 19 Orange turnovers and scored 30 points in the paint.
 
Orange shot 38.6% from the floor and was just 7-for-21 from the three-point line. The Colts were outrebounded by a 22-board margin. Anthony Pacciarelli had 16 points, while Keishawn Morris scored 13 points and Darren McFarlane had 12 points.
 
The win is the first for Lackawanna over Orange since January 2019, and it's the first win over a nationally ranked opponent for Lackawanna in at least seven seasons.
 
Lackawanna College will be back to action on Wednesday, January 28^th, with a home contest against SUNY Westchester. Tip is set for 7:00pm ET inside the historic Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium.