Photo By Logan Moyer, Sports Editor
By Marquis Frias
Depth is a great thing for any team. Usually, that means players – turns out it means coaches, too.
Even with longtime head coach Frank Marcinek out due to illness, assistant coach Chad Bailey led the men’s basketball team to an exciting 82-67 win over Lycoming on Wednesday in Landmark Conference play at O.W. Houts Gymnasium.
Lycoming (3-19 overall, 2-13 Landmark) was upset-minded out of the gate, totaling a six-point lead over the River Hawks (13-9, 10-5) while shooting 7-12 from 3-point land. Susquehanna climbed back, however, managing to cut the Warrior lead to one by halftime.
Susquehanna big-man Billy Anderson recorded his 4th double-double of the year, entering the locker rooms with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Lycoming guard Isaiah Valentine had 10 points himself, with forward Hayden Pardoe contributing with 8 points at the half.
The switch flipped for the River Hawks in the second half. SU outscored Lycoming by 16 points in the second half due to strong defense and more aggressive scoring on the offensive end.
“Even though we were losing by one going into halftime, we still had confidence in ourselves and our game plan and we knew if we kept doing what we were doing that it would pay off at the end of the game,” Anderson said.
SU dominated the boards, outrebounding the Warriors 46-21. Anderson led the way with his 27 points and 12 rebounds, while guard Jackson Van Wagener finished with 18 points and seven rebounds. 14 of his points came in the 2nd half. Billy Anderson said he was able to have a big night “because my teammates put me in the position to be able to score, and both my teammates and the coaching staff had confidence in me to score”.
With three games left in the regular season, the River Hawks have secured a place in the Landmark Conference playoffs. Still, SU is jostling for position against Wilkes and Moravian, looking to secure a home game in the quarterfinals.
The team will next take the court on Saturday at Scranton.