Men’s Basketball secures second consecutive win with triumph over Penn State Altoona

ALTOONA, Pa. --- Carlow University men's basketball won its second Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference contest in a row with a 94-79 victory over Penn State Altoona on the road Wednesday night.

The Celtics (3-18, 3-9 AMCC) shot 50 percent (32 for 64) from the floor and scored 27 points at the foul line alone.

Jordyn Tavarez (New Kensington, Pa./Highlands HS/Penn West Calif.) led the Celtics with a game-high 23 points. Jimmy Giannetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Saint Joseph HS) shot 11 for 12 from the foul line and contributed 22 points, while Tomasi Pavihi (Wellington, New Zealand/St. Mary's Ryken HS/College of Marin) recorded his third double-double, with a season-high 21 points and 12 rebounds. Pavihi and Clayton Cook (Brookville, Pa./Brookville Area HS) picked up four steals apiece.

Both teams kept it close to start before Penn State Altoona (10-10, 4-7 AMCC) strung together an 8-2 run over the span of five minutes to gain a 15-9 advantage. A layup from Tavarez and a tip-in by Sam Byrd (Chicago, Ill./Jones College Prep) a minute later saw the Celtics trailing by two. Another bucket from Tavarez tied the game at 15-all seconds later.

The Lions broke the stalemate with a three-pointer to regain the lead, but an and-one layup from Braedon Beard (Myersville, Md./Notre Dame of Maryland Univ.) tied the score again at 20-20.

Over the next eight minutes the Celtics assembled a 20-6 run to end the first half with a 14-point lead.

The Celtics outscored the Lions 54-53 and maintained a double-figure lead throughout the second half.

Carlow outrebounded Penn State Altoona 46-33 and outscored the Lions 56-42 in the paint.

Penn State Altoona outscored the Celtics 26-15 off the bench.

Rasheed Daniels and Kaden Claar led the Lions with 19 and 18 points, respectively.

The Celtics travel to Pitt Bradford for a 4 p.m. AMCC game Feb. 7.