Box Score (HTML)

CLARION, Pa. – A late rally and hot shooting from beyond the arc by freshman Alex Prislupsky (Olyphant/Mid-Valley) were not enough for the Bloomsburg University men's basketball team in an 86-76 loss at Clarion on Tuesday evening in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover play.

The Huskies drop to 6-2 overall and 2-2 in PSAC action while Clarion improves to 4-3, 2-2.

Clarion opened fast, leading 11-5 in the early going. Bloomsburg drew closer and eventually took its first lead since scoring the first basket of the game when Anthony McKie (Blue Bell/Plymouth Whitemarsh) found Christian Mortellite (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) on a cross-court pass that led to a 3-pointer from the redshirt freshman for a 22-20 Bloomsburg lead with 9:19 left in the opening half.

Layups from McKie and Charles Haigler (Charles Town, WV/Hargrave Military Academy) gave the Huskies their largest lead at 26-20, but Clarion then embarked on a run that would change the game.

Kyheim Hall's layup started a 17-0 burst for Clarion that allowed the Golden Eagles to pull ahead, 37-26, before a lay-in from Haigler ended the Bloomsburg drought with 1:25 remaining before intermission. Clarion's Brandon Williams tallied back-to-back buckets before the buzzer to give the Golden Eagles a 41-30 edge into the break.

Clarion led by as many as 22 points at 58-36 with 14:48 remaining before Prislupsky gave the Huskies a spark.

The freshman guard caught fire from beyond the arc, hitting 5-of-7 3-point attempts during the second half and help Bloomsburg pull within single digits.

A pair of free throws from Alssene Saintilus (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) drew the visitors to a 73-65 score with 3:06 to go, but that would be as close as the Huskies could get. Williams responded with a layup on the other end to extend the Clarion lead to double digits once more and hit another bucket on the next trip down the floor for a 77-65 lead as the Golden Eagles seized control for good.

Prislupsky finished with a career-high 17 points in just 19 minutes, hitting 6-of-11 attempts from the floor including five shots from beyond the arc. McKie also netted 17 points while Saintilus registered 11 points and seven rebounds. Jon Riles (Philadelphia/Academy of the New Church) finished with 10 points and Moustapha Noumbissi (Upper Darby/Delaware County Christian School) led the Huskies on the glass with 11 rebounds.

Clarion's Hall proved to be too much, however, starring with 23 points and 15 rebounds along with eight steals. BJ Andrews chipped in with 15 points and Williams recorded 12 points and five rebounds.

Bloomsburg shot 40.3 percent from the floor (27-67) and Clarion made good on over 46 percent of its chances (30-65). Both teams turned the ball over 22 times, with Clarion turning Huskies miscues into 29 points while the Huskies scored 21 points off turnovers.

The Huskies return to action on Wednesday night at Pitt-Johnstown as PSAC crossover play continues.