Reading, PA, (January 4, 2005) – The DeSales University men’s basketball team had its 4-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday evening as Albright College defeated the Bulldogs, 85-77, in non-conference action at the Bollman Center.

 

        The Bulldogs (7-3 overall) seemed to have total control of the game in the first half as they opened up a 15-point lead, 36-21, with 5:58 left in the opening period.  Albright (6-4 overall) answered with a 13-4 run over the last 5:58 to cut the margin to six points, 40-34, at the half.

 

        In the second half after the Lions took a three-point lead, 54-51, with 12:10 remaining but the Bulldogs countered with a 10-0 run to take a seven-point lead at 61-54.  A three-pointer by senior Michael Venafra (Belmont Hills, PA/Lower Merion) pushed the lead back up to five points, 66-61, before AC answered with a 14-0 run that gave the home team a nine-point lead with 1:48 left.

 

        Venafra hit his sixth trey to cut the lead to four points with 58 ticks left, but Albright knocked down 6-of-6 free throws down the stretch to seal the seven point win.

 

        The Lions shot 50.0 percent from the field and held a 19-point edge on the foul line as Albright connected on 30-of-40 free throw attempts.  DSU shot just 14 free throws and shot 43.5 percent from the field, while committing 18 turnovers.  DeSales was playing without starting forward David Spadt (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus).

 

        Venafra continued his torrid shooting with 24 points on a 6-of-9 effort from beyond the arc.  Fellow senior Kyle Koch (Lehighton, PA/Lehighton) added 16 points to round out DSU’s double figure scorers.  Junior Drew Christman (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) added eight points off the bench and senior Kevin Welsh (Havertown, PA/Haverford), freshman Eddie Ohlson (Allentown, PA/Parkland) and sophomore Steve Kriczky (Birdsboro, PA/Daniel Boone) each added seven points.

 

        The Lions got 29 points from Trevor Deeter on 11-of-14 shooting and 21 points from Ben Gallagher.  Greg Conroy totaled 17 tallies on 11-of-12 shooting from the charity stripe.