Middletown, PA – Penn State Harrisburg could not overcome a strong second half surge by the Captains of Christopher Newport, falling on Senior Day. The Lions got excellent efforts from all three of its seniors, led by Tariq Bennett who score 17 points making three three-pointers. Austin Chimuma added six points and six rebounds. Finally Donte Vaughn played 20 minutes of excellent defense challenging Captains players up and down the court.
Penn State Harrisburg 53 vs. Christopher Newport 69
Penn State Harrisburg Starters:
Dante Vaugh, Austin Chimuma, Tariq Bennett, Brandon Coleman, and Chris Bing
Christopher Newport Starters:
McFarland, Femi, Gibbs, Marin, and Ellis
Records:
Penn State Harrisburg: Overall 6-17; Conference 2-14
Christopher Newport: Overall 18-5; Conference 12-4
Inside The Stats:
Field Goals: Penn State Harrisburg (17-58) vs. Christopher Newport (24-51)
Assists: Harrisburg (4) vs. Christopher Newport (7)
Turnovers: Harrisburg (13) vs. Christopher Newport (16)
Rebounds: Harrisburg (38) vs. Christopher Newport (42)
How it Happened:
The Lions got off to a strong start behind forward Chris Bing would score three straight layups to start the game, getting the Lions out to an early five-point lead. Anthony Bennett Jr. added a layup to maintain the lead. Bing would add two more layups and the Lions held a seven-point advantage midway through the first half. Austin Chimuma would bring the crowd to its feet with a thunderous block on a Captain's transition layup. The Captains would answer with an 11-3 to recapture the lead. After Bennett Jr. tied the game at 22, Tariq Bennett would hit a corner three to recapture the lead. Moments later Bennett would hit another three, allowing the Lions to hold a 28-27 advantage going into the half. Christopher Newport would recapture the lead early and the second half and steadily pull away from the Lions thanks to excellent perimeter shooting capturing the win.
Impact Performance:
Tariq Bennett- 17 Points
Chris Bing- 11 Points and 11 Rebounds
Coach Thoughts:
After the game, Head Coach Don Friday said, "I think from our staff to our players, we feel we are competing in spots, but we need to put it together for forty minutes. And going forward we will continue to give our best efforts for the good of the Penn State Harrisburg Basketball program. I can't thank Donte Vaughn, Austin Chimuma, and Tariq Bennett for their commitment and love for our program."
What's Next:
We will be hosting CAC opponents Marymount on Wednesday, February 14th at 8pm.