SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Mario Castro Sanchez,
Jackson Van Wagener, and
AJ Lomax combined for 37 of Susquehanna's 71 points on Tuesday night in a non-conference win against visiting Penn State Harrisburg.
HOW IT WENT DOWN
- An early and-one play converted by freshman guard Alex Katusha gave the River Hawks the lead less than three-and-a-half minutes into the game—a lead they would not relinquish for the remainder of the contest. Katusha finished with a season-high seven points, including five made free throws, complementing the scoring efforts of Castro Sanchez, Van Wagener, and Lomax.
- A minute later, Castro Sanchez sank a three-pointer to extend the River Hawks' lead. The junior guard led the team in scoring for the second straight game, putting up 14 points, nine of which came from free throws.
- Stout defense by Susquehanna forced the Nittany Lions to shoot just 1-for-12 from beyond the arc in the first half, as they scored only 24 points heading into the break.
- The River Hawks maintained their momentum in the second half, outscoring PSU Harrisburg 35-31. The Nittany Lions were able to pull within seven points at the 12:20 mark, but Susquehanna never allowed them to get any closer.
- Lomax's 12 points off the bench provided the spark Susquehanna needed after a loss to Landmark Conference opponent Elizabethtown on Saturday. Lomax shot 50% from the field and made three of his four free throws in 24 minutes of play.
- Van Wagener also scored in double digits, finishing with 11 points on 50% shooting and grabbing a team-high six rebounds.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Susquehanna outperformed Penn State Harrisburg in both field goal and three-point shooting, posting a shooting percentage of 47.7% compared to the Nittany Lions' 38.6%. Susquehanna made one more three-pointer than Harrisburg at 4-of-14, seven fewer attempts than the Lions who came up short in that category at 3-of-21.
- The River Hawks converted 86.2% of their free throws, making 25 of 29 attempts, more than double the Nittany Lions' total.
- Lomax and Castro Sanchez each led the team with four assists, while Castro Sanchez also recorded a team-high three steals to cap off his stellar performance.
UP NEXT FOR THE RIVER HAWKS
- Susquehanna heads into the week-long holiday break with a 4-2 record and an opportunity to rest up before two Landmark Conference foes visit Selinsgrove next week. They are set to take on Wilkes University on Wednesday, December 3, and Moravian University on Saturday, December 6.
