Lions Clinch AMCC Regular-Season Title

ALTOONA, Pa. – Casey Courneen (Sewickley, PA/Quaker Valley) and Zane Hackett (Brookville, PA/Brookville) each scored 16 points to lead the Penn State Behrend men's basketball team to a 74-54 victory on Saturday afternoon at the Stephen A. Adler Athletic Complex.

The win clinches the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) regular-season championship for the Lions.

Behrend (21-4, 15-3 AMCC) took a three-point lead into the locker room following a back-and-fourth first half that saw ten lead changes.  At one point, Courneen hit three consecutive threes to help the Lions keep pace. The senior finished the contest 4-of-8 from deep.

The Lions made sure that the second half would not be as close as the first.

Nick DeLisio (Aliquippa, PA/Central Valley) scored five quick points to begin a 15-0 Behrend run to open the second session. It was a spurt that Altoona never recovered from.

Penn State Altoona (5-20, 3-15 AMCC) cut the lead to 16 with 6:17 left following two Evan Greening free-throws, but Keith Wallace (Erie, PA/Central Tech) responded with a three that put any hopes of a late Altoona comeback to rest as the Lions coasted to the 20 point win.

Wallace finished with 15 points, two assists, and two steals.

Behrend dominated on the glass, out-rebounding Altoona by a whopping 48-23 margin as Wes Davic (Grafton, OH/Midview), Mike Knoll (Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep), and Hackett each finished with eight boards. On the season, the Lions have now grabbed 230 more rebounds than their opposition.

Although the Lions don't yet know their opponent in next weekend's AMCC Final Four, they do know that the game will be played at Penn State Behrend. The Lions earned AMCC Tournament hosting duties and the number one overall seed by virtue of their 87-58 victory over Hilbert on Wednesday night.

Behrend will enter the tournament red-hot, having won five in a row and 16 of their last 18 games.