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BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - For the second consecutive game, the Bloomsburg University men's basketball team exploded for 59 second-half points as it came-from-behind to defeat visiting Mansfield University, 86-79, at the Nelson Field House on Wednesday night. The Huskies, who have now won five of their last six games, improved to 8-6 overall and 4-6 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division. The Mountaineers dropped to 6-7 overall and 4-6 in the league standings.

Redshirt junior Christian Mortellite (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) led the Huskies with 22 points, including a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line. Senior Yahmir Greenlee (Philadelphia, Pa./Boys Latin) hit the shot of the game - a three-pointer that extended the Huskies' lead to four with 39 seconds left in regulation - as part of a career-high 21 points. Junior Carnell McGirt (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic (Valley Forge Military Academy)) continued his torrid play off the bench as he chipped in 18 points and seven rebounds.

Trailing by eight at halftime, 35-27, and by as many as a dozen points early in the second, Bloomsburg caught fire and scored 52 points over the final 14:44 of regulation to post the comeback victory. The Huskies could not get going in the first half as they made only 9-of-25 (36.0%) from the field and turned the ball over 14 times in the opening twenty minutes. But, Bloomsburg made 22-of-39 (56.4%) in the second half and committed only five turnovers in a complete turn of events.

Mortellite and McGirt combined for 19 of the Huskies' 27 first-half points as the team trailed by eight as the teams headed to their respective locker rooms. On the other side, Mansfield's Malik Carter got off to a blistering start as he scored 17 first-half points to help the Mountaineers build up their lead.

The Huskies started slowly at the outset of the second half as the visitors scored six of the first eight points of the half to extend their lead to 41-29 with 17:49 remaining. Mansfield was able to maintain its 12-point lead with as late as 14:44 left in regulation.

Then, the Huskies flipped the switch on offense.

Bloomsburg erased the 12-point deficit in the span of three minutes as the Huskies went on a 16-2 run during the stretch to take a 50-48 lead with 11:45 left. Junior Kyle-Michael Rose (Middletown, Del./Sanford School (Highland CC)) started the run with a layup and McGirt followed with five consecutive points to cut the lead to 48-41 with 13:26 remaining. Greenlee followed with a layup, McGirt added a pair of free throws, and junior Alex Prislupsky (Olyphant, Pa./Mid-Valley) knocked down a three-pointer to give the Huskies their first lead since 3-2 in the opening minute of the contest.

Mansfield went on a 5-0 run to regain a 53-50 advantage with 10:44 remaining before Greenlee nailed a three-pointer to tie the game at 53-53 with 10:26 left. After the Mountaineers took a 56-55 lead with 9:02 lead, the Huskies went on a mini 6-0 run to take a 61-56 advantage with 7:41 left. Senior Donell Diggs (Washington, D.C./Takoma Academy (Prince George's CC)) had four of the six points during the spurt.

The teams went back-and-forth over the next five minutes and, after Mansfield's Cedrick Powell hit a pair of free throws with 2:28 left, the game was tied at 71-71. Mortellite and Mansfield's Jahyde Gardiner exchanged baskets to keep the game tied at 73-73 with 1:51 left. Greenlee broke the tie with a layup before Mansfield's Matt Tamanosky hit 1-of-2 free throws at the other end to keep the Huskies' lead at one, 75-74, with 1:05 left.

Then, the dagger. With time winding down on the shot clock, Greenlee nailed a three-pointer to extend the lead to four, 78-74, with 39 seconds left. Carter cut the lead to two at the other end, but the Mountaineers could get no closer as McGirt and Mortellite combined to go 6-of-6 at the foul line over the last 25 seconds to seal the victory.

Mortellite was only 6-of-18 from the field but did move into 19th place on the school's all-time scoring list with his 22 points. The redshirt junior now has 1,180 points for his career. Greenlee, meanwhile, scored 16 of his career-high 21 points in the second half while McGirt scored 11 of his 18 points over the final 20 minutes. Prislupsky finished with nine and Diggs added eight with all 17 of their combined points coming in the second half.

Carter led Mansfield with a game-high 25 points. Tamanosky and Powell chipped in 18 points apiece for the Mountaineers.

Bloomsburg will look to continue its climb in the PSAC standings when it hosts Millersville University on Saturday, January 14. Tip-off from the Nelson Field House is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.