ALFRED, N.Y. - The Penn State Altoona men's basketball team traveled to compete against Alfred State at Orvis Gym, defeating the Pioneers, 98-80. 

Penn State Altoona (12-13, 6-10 AMCC) came from behind early, before working their way to a 39-33 halftime lead. Scoring exploded in the second half as the Lions outscored Alfred State (5-20, 3-13 AMCC) 59-47 to win by 18 points.  

"Really happy to end the regular season with a big road win to help us secure the fifth seed in the tournament," said Penn State Altoona head coach David McGreal. "It was nice having Nehemiah back. I think that gave the entire team a boost." 

The team made 13 three-point field goals today, tying for the seventh most three-point field goals made in program history.  

The Lions got a game-high, season-high 32 points from Rasheed Daniels (Richmond, VA/Monacan), which included an 83.3 three-point field goal percentage. Braelen Cage (Lorton, VA/Hayfield Secondary) produced 17 points and Kaden Claar (Portage, PA/Portage) added 16 points. Nehemiah Frye (King George, VA/King George) had 10 points and nine rebounds in his first game back from injury. Mason Kargo (Portage, PA/Portage) had a game-high 10 assists along with five rebounds.  

"It's always helpful when Rasheed gets going. Not many players in our league have three 30-point games. Kaden has been amazing the last few weeks, defending and rebounding on top of scoring," McGreal stated. 

Alfred State was led in scoring by Darius Cunningham Jr., who scored 30 points for the Pioneers. The home team also got 15 points and nine rebounds from Ben Sneddon.  

"Braelen and the rest of the team did an amazing job holding one of the league's leading scorers [Mykell Lawson] to three points on zero field goals made. After how Lawson shot in our gym earlier this season, we made a promise to each other that we were not going to let it happen again," said McGreal. 

The Pioneers went on an early 8-0 run in the first half, not allowing the Lions to score a basket in the first two-and-a-half minutes.  

The Lions grew into the first half, going on an 8-2 run at 15:49 to get their first lead of the game. The run included a three-pointer from Claar as well as a two-point jump shot and a three-pointer from Cage.  

The Pioneers retook the lead at 12:27 through a Cummingham Jr. three-pointer, before the Lions equalized13 seconds later through an Elliot Johansson (Stockholm, Sweden/Tibble Gymnasium) layup. The Pioneers went on an 8-2 run of their own at 11:45 to take an eight-point lead.  

The Lions fired back, going on a major 13-0 run to take a five-point lead. Frye scored a layup, Kargo scored a layup, Claar scored a three-pointer, Daniels scored two free throws and a layup, and Brendan Abell (Severna Park, MD/Severna Park) scored a layup. After this run, Penn State Altoona did not relinquish their lead for the rest of the game.  

After a free throw from Alfred State's Sneddon, the Lions went into the halftime break with a six-point lead.  

The Lions came out of the break looking to grow their lead, with the team going on a 10-3 run 16 seconds into the half. In the run, Daniels scored a three-point jump shot and layup; Frye scored a layup, and Cage scored a three-point jump shot to give the Lions a 13-point lead.  

Scoring would be tight midway through the second half, as the Lions responded to everything the Pioneers threw at them. At 10:45, the Pioneers cut the gap to five points, after a Cunningham Jr. three-pointer. Daniels, Claar, and the Lions replied with a 7-1 run to grow their lead to 11 points.  

The Lions combined to go on a 14-3 run late in the second half to take a 25-point lead, their largest lead of the game. Daniels scored three three-pointers, Cage scored a free-throw and layup, and Kargo scored a layup.  

The Pioneers closed the gap to twenty points following five free throws but would not overcome the gap as the Lions rode their lead to win by 18 points.  

"I feel really good heading into the tournament, and we feel it's anybody's to win. Finishing this season on a positive note is so important, and to realistically finish over .500 in the regular season with everything we have been through, I couldn't be prouder." 

The Penn State Altoona men's basketball team will compete in the first round of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference playoffs next Tuesday, February 24, as they take on Hilbert at the Hafner Recreation Center at 7:00 p.m.