Junior Deryl Bagwell scored 17 points and Cabrini shot 49 percent from the field but fell 86-70 to MAC Commonwealth champion Lycoming (24-4) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Middlebury, Vt. Friday night. Cabrini ends their season with a 19-8 record.
Senior Ryan Charity hit a three-pointer as the shot clock expired with a little over eight minutes to play in the game to give Cabrini a 63-57 lead. But the Cavaliers could not hold on, as Lycoming went on a 29-7 run to end the game.
The Cavaliers committed a season-high 27 turnovers in the loss. Cabrini made 11 of 25 three-point field goals, but shot a measly 56 percent from the free throw line on the night.
Cabrini sprinted out to a 14-2 lead early in the first half, hitting four three-pointer while forcing Lycoming to miss eight of their first nine shots. But the Cavs let the Warriors answer with a 21-0 run, capped off by a lay-in by Alex Newbold to put the Warriors up 23-14.
Sophomore Anthony Wright-Downing (14 points, 5-6 FG) gave momentum right back to Cabrini, tying the game at 28-28 with a put-back slam off a missed shot by junior Kane McGovern. He added a bucket late in the half to help put the Cavaliers ahead 39-36 at the buzzer.
Junior Tyheim Monroe posted a double-double, scoring 14 points while grabbing 17 rebounds on the night. He hit a three-pointer early in the second half to give Cabrini a 49-46 lead.
The two teams combined for six lead changes, thanks in part to 46 turnovers from both sides. The Warriors scored 50 of their 86 points in the paint, while Cabrini posted just 26 points down low.
Lycoming will face the winner of Friday night’s game between No. 6 Middlebury and Farmingdale State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
