ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend men's basketball team opened the 2018-19 campaign with an 81-72 victory over the visiting Carnegie Mellon Tartans on Saturday night in the Junker Center.

Score: Penn State Behrend 81, Carnegie Mellon 72

Records: Penn State Behrend (1-0), Carnegie Mellon (0-2)

Key Stats:

* 15 of Behrend's 27 made field goals were threes.
* PSB shots 51.7% (15-29) from downtown against the Tartans.
* For the game, Behrend shot 52.9% (27-51) from the floor.  Carnegie Mellon shot 50% (28-56) for the game, but was just 5-14 from three-point territory.
* Nine of Behrend's 15 threes came in the first half, helping the Behrend Lions to a 43-31 lead at the intermission.
* PSB placed four players in double figures.  Andy Niland (Fairview, PA/Fairview) led Behrend with 23 points on the strength of 7-13 shooting from the floor.  Niland connected on five of eleven triples and made all four of his foul shot attempts.  He also dished out a game-high seven assists. 
* Justin Gorny (South Park, PA/South Park) finished the game with 15 points and five rebounds.  Malike Brinson (Erie, PA/Collegiate Academy) and Mike Fischer (Wexford, PA/North Allegheny) both finished with 10 points.
* Carnegie Mellon was led by Zach Howarth's 23 points.  Seth Henry added 20 points and nine rebounds.
* Behrend finished 12-14 from the charity stripe, good for an 85.7% clip.

Up Next:

* The Behrend Lions (1-0) will return to action on Monday, November 19, against Thiel College.  Tip from the Junker Center is set for 6 p.m.