MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg's men's basketball team clinched the United East Volt Division Championship with an 80-56 victory over conference rival St. Mary's (Md.) at the Capital Union Building on Wednesday night, Feb. 21.
Donyae Baylor-Carroll posted his second double-double of the season with a game-high 27 points and 11 rebounds to go along with seven assists and three steals. Isaiah Eggleston posted a double-double of his own with 17 points, 10 boards, and five blocks off the bench, while Milien racked up 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Nate Curry finished one point shy of a double-double with nine points, 10 boards, and four assists.
After Daryn Alexander knocked down a half-court heave to end the first half and cut the deficit to 35-30 for the Seahawks (16-12), Penn State Harrisburg (23-4) opened the second half with a game-changing 13-3 run capped by four straight points from Baylor-Carroll with 15:24 left to play.
St. Mary's pulled to within 15 midway through the second half but Baylor-Carroll responded with a tough layup in traffic before adding another while being fouled the next time down the floor. He sank the ensuing free throw to push the advantage to 20 for the first time with 8:36 remaining.
A pair of Alex Leiba foul shots made it 62-40 at the 6:18 mark and despite the visitor pulling to within 15 with 4:43 left, free throws from Lance Douglas, Baylor-Carroll, and layups from Eggleston and Kyle Rhoden put things out of reach in crunch time. Eggleston put an exclamation point on the victory with a one-handed jam off a Christian Clark-Stokes feed in the final minute.
Baylor-Carroll was lights out to begin the game, going 3-for-3 from beyond the arc to open the contest and scoring 11 of the team's first 14 points. The Seahawks chipped away and cut the deficit to four late in the first half but Curry connected on a wing 3-ball to make it 35-27 with eight seconds remaining before Alexander answered with his buzzer beater.
NOTABLES
- With the victory, the Lions will return to their third conference championship game in four years.
- Penn State Harrisburg shot 45 percent from the floor, 38.1 percent from distance, and 85.7 percent from the charity stripe.
- The Lions won the rebounding battle 50-33.
- Penn State Harrisburg recorded assists on 24 of its 27 field goals.
- The Penn State Harrisburg bench outscored the St. Mary's reserves 21-9.
- Baylor-Carroll recorded his second double-double of the year with game highs of 27 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.
- Milien scored a career-high 20 points with eight boards and five assists.
- Eggleston notched a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double with five blocks off the bench.
- Curry finished one point shy of a double-double with nine points and 10 boards to go along with four assists.
WHO'S NEXT?
The Lions host Skye Division champion St. Elizabeth for the United East Championship Game at the Capital Union Building on Saturday afternoon. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can keep up with Penn State Harrisburg Athletics all season long on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Threads, and Youtube using the handle @pshbgathletics.