Men's Basketball Tops King's (Pa.), 61-54

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- Susquehanna University's sophomore guard Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) notched a game-high 16 points on six of 12 shooting from the field to help visiting Susquehanna beat King's College (Pa.), 61-54, in a non-conference men's basketball semifinal game at the Ramada Inn/Monarch Classic at McGrane Gymnasium on Dec. 11.

Spencer also snagged a game-high five steals and made a game-high four three-pointers (on nine attempts).

Susquehanna (4-3 overall) opened up with a 17-10 lead with 9 minutes, 12 seconds left in the first half on the strength of four three-pointers, but King's (2-6 overall) took the lead at 18-17 with 4:01 left. The Crusaders would respond and go into halftime up, 25-22.

SU shot 11-for-24 from long range against the Monarchs, marking the third straight game with at least 11 three-pointers made.

Crusaders freshman forward J.T. Wilson (Sparta, N.J./Pope John XXIII Regional) grabbed a team-high-tying six rebounds and chipped in 11 points, including three three-pointers on six attempts. Teammate and sophomore center Trevor Williamson (McKwensville, Pa./Warrior Run) also tallied six boards, all defensive.

Junior guard Jason Dawson (Somerset, N.J./Rutgers Prep) and freshman guard E.J. Duncan [East Stroudsburg, Pa./Pope John XXIII Regional (N.J.)] each dished out a game-high-tying three assists.

The Monarchs trimmed the lead to 27-25 less than a minute into the second half before Susquehanna gradually built its lead to 52-34 with 7:17 remaining. King's responded with an 8-0 run late in the game, but the lead was too much to overcome.

King's junior forward/center Kevin Conroy (Chatham, N.J./Chatham HS) posted a team-high 11 points, while senior forward Jim Schule (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) pulled down a game-high seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Kyle Stackhouse (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley) tied a game-high with three assists, and junior guard Adam Brasky (Batavia, N.Y./Batavia) led the Monarchs with three steals.

Susquehanna moves onto the championship game of this tournament, where it faces nationally ranked No. 13 Richard Stockton College. Richard Stockton defeated Albright College, 72-62, in the other semifinal game.