Men’s Basketball snaps losing streak with win over Alfred State

PITTSBURGH --- Carlow University men's basketball snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 70-62 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference victory over Alfred State College at Donahue Pavilion Saturday night.

The Celtics (2-18, 2-9 AMCC) scored 17 points off 15 Pioneers' turnovers.

Jimmy Giannetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Saint Joseph HS) shot 9 for 10 from the foul line to lead the Celtics with a game-high 27 points. Jordyn Tavarez (New Kensington, Pa./Highlands HS/Penn West Calif.) added 17 points, and Clayton Cook (Brookville, Pa./Brookville Area HS) recorded his third double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Both teams got off to a slow start, with the Celtics ahead 8-4 five minutes in. Alfred State (5-15, 3-8 AMCC) tied the game at 8-all, but Carlow gained the lead once again and stayed a few points ahead of the Pioneers. The teams traded marginal leads midway through the half before the Celtics strung together a 16-11 run to end the half ahead, 32-26.

Carlow started the second half with a 12-6 run, gaining a 12-point advantage over Alfred State.

Each team suffered scoring draughts throughout the half, and an 8-4 run saw the Pioneers trailing Carlow by four with six-and-a-half minutes remaining in regulation.

A jumper from Giannetta and a layup by Tomasi Pavihi (Wellington, New Zealand/St. Mary's Ryken HS/College of Marin) put Carlow ahead, 59-50. An official served Alfred State's bench a technical foul, and Giannetta sank both free throws to give the Celtics a double digit lead with 4:21 on the clock.

A three-pointer from Mykell Lawson cut Carlow's lead to four points with a minute remaining, but the Pioneers sent the Celtics to the line where they sank four out of five free throws to secure the win.

Alfred State outrebounded Carlow 52-41 and outscored the Celtics14-3 off the bench.

Lawson led the Pioneers with 18 points, and Kennyh Hardeman added a double-double with 16 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. Darius Cunningham Jr. contributed 14 points, and Elijah Kioko pulled down 10 boards in the effort.

The Celtics travel to Penn State Altoona for a 7 p.m. AMCC game Feb. 4.