Lions Win Big on Opening Night, Gourley Leads Way With 25 Points

ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend men's basketball team opened their season Wednesday night with a 23-point victory over the Thiel Tomcats.

Score: Penn State Behrend 74, Thiel 51

Records: Penn State Behrend (1-0), Thiel (0-1)

Key Moments:
* PJ Gourley (Butler, PA/Knoch) collected the first points of the 2021-22 season sinking a mid-range jumper to open the scoring
* Gourley went on to set a career-high in points with 25, leading Behrend in scoring while grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out four assists
* Tommy DiRienzo (Pittsburgh, PA/Bethel Park) finished the night with 12 points and seven rebounds in his official collegiate debut
* Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Preseason Player of the Year, Kenny Fukon (Cranberry Twp., PA/Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic) finished one rebound away from a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds
* Matt Niland (Erie, PA/Fairview) registered six of his eight points from beyond the arc and ended the opener with a team-high six assists
* The starting-five contributed to all but five points

Up Next:
* At home against Waynesburg on Saturday, November 13 at 7 p.m.