Box Score

SELINSGROVE, Pa. – The Susquehanna men's basketball team nearly completed its comeback against King's College in the championship game of the Pepsi Tip-Off Tournament, but two last-second shots failed to make it into the basket as SU fell 44-43.

Freshman Tre Dean (Dallas, Texas/Greenhill School) picked up his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 boards, six of which were on the offensive end. He also added two blocks in his 29 minutes of work.

Dean was the lone Crusader in double figures although J.T. Wilson (Sparta, N.J./Pope John XXIII Regional) added nine points. Wilson and Dean both earned spots on the All-Tournament Team.

As a team, Susquehanna (1-1) struggled from the field and the free throw line; SU shot just 30 percent from the floor and only 42 percent (11-of-26) at the charity stripe.

The Monarchs (2-0) did not shoot much better, making only 36 percent of their shots and just 40 percent at the free throw line.

SU went down 6-0 and midway through the half trailed by four (11-7). King's took a nine-point lead (22-13) with 3:37 left to play in the half, prompting Susquehanna head coach Frank Marcinek to call a timeout. Following that timeout the Crusaders went on a 10-1 run to cap off the half that ended with a Mike Perillo (Holmdel, N.J./Holmdel) trey at the buzzer that knotted it at 23-23.

The second half saw just a combined 41 points from both teams. King's took a 10-point advantage (35-25) with 11:31 left to play but the Crusaders proceeded to go on a 9-2 run to close the gap to three (37-43).

With 53 seconds remaining, a three-point play from Tony Seldon (Bloomfield, Conn./St. Thomas More) cut that lead to one (44-43) but two shots from Wilson at both the six-second and one-second marks failed to go into the basket, sealing King's victory.

Montclair State won the consolation game against Penn College 107-61.
 
The Crusaders remain home to host Lycoming on Tuesday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m.

All-Tournament Team:
MVP: Matt Fiorino (King's)
Montclair State: James D'Angelo
Penn College: Jesse Newman
King's College: Matt Fiorino, Kyle Hammonds
Susquehanna University: Tre Dean, J.T. Wilson