CINCINNATI, OHIO – The Mount St. Joseph University men's basketball team defeated Berea College 73–60 Wednesday evening at the Harrington Center. The Lions earned the No. 4 seed in the HCAC tournament, finishing 12–6 in conference play.
Less than four minutes into the game, the score was tied at 6–6 after Jason Lavender converted a three-point play and hit a three-pointer. The Mount then went on a 21–6 run over the next eight minutes, building a 15-point lead that started and ended with a Lavender layup. Lavender scored the first 8 points of the game for the Lions and finished the half with 11 points.
The Mount's run was fueled by three-point shooting: Michael Loftis, Matthew Menninger, and Joe Brand each made one three, while Griffen Derry hit two. With a minute left in the half, Berea cut the lead to 11, but on the next possession, Derry made a three-pointer, helping the Lions go into halftime with a 16-point lead, 41–25.
Berea came out strong in the second half, cutting the lead to 9 five minutes in. Derry responded with another three, restoring the double-digit lead. The rest of the half featured back-and-forth scoring, with the Lions outscoring the Mountaineers 21–20, securing the 73–60 win.
The Lions were led by Jason Lavender, who scored 17 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Griffen Derry added 12 points, shooting 4-for-5 from three, while Michael Loftis contributed 11 points. As a team, the Mount shot 50% from three, making 10 of 20 attempts.
UP NEXT: The Lions, as the No. 4 seed in the HCAC, will host Franklin College in the opening round of the HCAC tournament on Saturday, February 21. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
