Alvernia men, women win in first round of ECAC Division Championships in basketball

Malik Green scored 21 of his game-high 25 points in the second half to lead Alvernia to a 69-58 win over Juniata in an ECAC Division III Championship first-round game Wednesday at Huntingdon.

Green, named the MAC Commonwealth Player of the Year on Tuesday, shot 8-for-11 from the field in the second half, including 3-for-4 on 3-pointers, and 2-for-2 from the line.

His layup with 4:25 left gave the top-seeded Golden Wolves (20-8) the lead for good at 60-58 and started a game-ending 11-0 run against the seventh-seeded Eagles (17-11).

Alvernia will play fourth-seeded Neumann in a semifinal game Saturday at second-seeded Alfred University at 3 p.m. Alfred, located in Alfred, N.Y., will play sixth-seeded Allegheny in the second semifinal at 5:30 p.m.

The final is Sunday at 1 p.m.

Berks Catholic grad Keba Mitchell had 12 points for Alvernia. Chase Husted led Juniata with 18 points.

Alvernia was unable to host due to having three other teams at home on Wednesday.

Women

Alvernia 80, Penn State Behrend 67: Wednesday at Erie, the fifth-seeded Golden Wolves (18-10) took control with a third-quarter run to beat the fourth-seeded Lions (21-7) in an ECAC Division III Championship first-round game.

Alvernia will play at top-seeded Ramapo in a semifinal Saturday at 4 p.m. William Paterson will play NJCU in the other semifinal at Ramapo in Mahwah, N.J.

The final is Sunday at 2 p.m.

The Golden Wolves used a 16-4 run to pull away from a 38-38 tie and take a 54-42 lead. Taliyah Malone hit a 3-pointer to give Alvernia the lead for good at 41-38. Following a miss by PSU Behrend, Jordan Karmonick made a 3 for the Golden Wolves.

Alvernia shot 11-for-18 in the third quarter to take a 65-52 lead into fourth. The Lions got no closer than nine.

Malone led the Golden Wolves with 16 points. Karmonick and Tamia Wessels each had 15, and Kayla Williams 14

Shippensburg 72, Kutztown 55: Wednesday at Shippensburg, the Red Raiders (24-5) made 11-of-15 shots in the third quarter to pull away from the Golden Bears (15-15) in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference quarterfinal.

After trailing 19-6 after a quarter, Kutztown rallied to get within 29-26 at the half. Behind its hot shooting, Shippensburg outscored KU 28-16 in the third quarter to take a 57-42 lead after three.

The Golden Bears, the PSAC East third seed, never got closer than 13 in the fourth quarter.

Naia Pulliam led Kutztown with 12 points. Annie Whalen had 11.

Ariel Jones scored 23 and Abbie Miller 20 for Shippensburg, the PSAC East second seed.

The Red Raiders will play at West No. 1 Gannon in a semifinal Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

West Chester will play California (Pa.) in the other semifinal at Gannon at 1 p.m.

Source: Berkshire mont