Crusaders Claim Pepsi/Weis Tournament Title with 89-78 Win Over Elizabethtown

SELINSGROVE, Pa. -- Susquehanna University's tournament MVP and freshman guard/forward Harvey Pannell (Bloomfield, Conn./St. Thomas More) scored a game-high-tying 18 points on 8-for-9 shooting from the field and added three rebounds, five assists and two steals to lead Susquehanna to an 89-78 non-conference men's basketball win over Elizabethtown College in the 2009 Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip-Off Tournament championship game at Orlando W. Houts Gymnasium on Nov. 21.

SU's (2-1 overall) sophomore guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) and senior guard Bryan Majors (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) joined Pannell on the all-tournament team.

Spencer also had 18 points against Elizabethtown (2-2 overall) and added three assists and five steals, while Majors had five points, two rebounds and game-highs of six assists and six steals.

Teammate and junior guard Rob Estep (York, Pa./West York) came off the bench to notch 14 points, including a game-high three three-pointers. Estep also handed out four assists.

Freshman forward and fellow Crusader Daryl Augustus (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall College HS) dropped in 12 points and a team-high-tying four boards. Junior forward Kenneth Anyanwu [Pennsauken, N.J./George (Pa.)] pulled down four as well.

The final score was closer than the game truly was, as the Crusaders never trailed. Estep's final three-pointer gave SU its biggest lead of the game at 18 points with 1 minute, 53 seconds left in the game.

Susquehanna advanced to the championship game of this tournament by defeating the Pennsylvania College of Technology, 84-48, on Nov. 20. Elizabethtown College topped Wilkes University, 66-57, in the other semifinal game earlier that same night.

The Blue Jays' junior guard/forward Joe Flanagan (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) and senior center Mike Church (Peach Bottom, Pa./Solanco) also earned all-tournament honors. Flanagan scored a team-high 14 points and tied Church for the team-high with five rebounds. Flanagan also had three assists and tied sophomore guard Kyle McConnell (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest HS) with a team-high two steals.

Church scored 12 points, while McConnell scored eight to go along with two boards and two assists.

Elizabethtown's junior guard Keith Fogel (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) dished out a team-high five assists and added seven points and two rebounds.

Next Game: Sunday, Nov. 29, at Lycoming (non-conference game), 1 p.m.