SALEM, VA. - A 3-pointer by Cooper Haberern towards his team-high 16 points offered the Susquehanna men's basketball team a ten-point lead with eight minutes remaining against Maryville, 62-52, in their opening round game of Roanoke College's Cregger Invitational. The Scots then made a charge that opened with a Reed Kemp and-one layup, offering him three of his game-leading 26 points on the afternoon. A pair of 3-pointers followed for Maryville, with the latter from Reed putting them in front for good as the Scots swiped a 70-66 victory. Susquehanna opens the Monday slate of games when they faceoff against Bryn Athyn at 12 noon, who were beaten by the host Maroons 103-65 on Sunday.

Haberern secured another team high with eight rebounds, while tying his season best with four threes in 36 minutes of action. He represented two-thirds of the River Hawks' made threes on the day as Susquehanna made 6-of-20 from behind the perimeter, with Billy Anderson and Luke Fryer making one apiece. Haberern, Anderson, and Brandon Lavitt each made at least 50 percent of their field goal attempts that led the River Hawks to a season-best 50.9 percent shooting on the day, totaling 28-of-55 from the floor. Haberern connected on 6-of-12 field goals, while Lavitt made his first six field goals towards a 7-for-9 outing with 15 points and Anderson 6-of-9 for 14 points, while tallying six assists and five rebounds. Despite trailing for much of the game Maryville found ways to gain an edge, including an 18-point swing by way of making three more 3-pointers than SU in a 9-for-20 day, along with burying 13-of-20 free throws to the River Hawks' 4-of-11 showing. The River Hawks held the Scots to 38.7 percent shooting (24-of-62), including 34.4 percent in the second half (11-of-32) where Maryville made four of its 3-pointers and nine of its free throws. 

Emezie Egeonu totaled six points and five rebounds in nine minutes of action, with Fryer netting five points with two assists and Jackson Van Wagener second on the team with five assists, while adding three rebounds. The River Hawks held the advantage with a 38-26 advantage in points in the paint and 16-3 in bench points. Susquehanna held a 39-35 lead at the half, with Anderson leading the team with 12 first-half points and nine from Lavitt and Haberern. Maryville's Kemp had 15 first-half points, while Chase Morgan had ten on his way to 16 total points with a team-high eight rebounds. The Scots boasted two more double-digit scorers in Jackson Garner with 15 and ten from Kyle Cloninger. 

The River Hawks, now 4-5 in the early going, look to even their record Monday afternoon with Bryn Athyn. Waiting for them in the new year is a home game against Arcadia in their last non-conference game on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 2 p.m. They return to Landmark Conference play on Wednesday, Jan. 8 on the road at Drew, then hosting Scranton on Saturday, Jan. 11.