Box Score Lock Haven, Pa. - Performance's like Saturday's 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists is why Lock Haven's Wali Hepburn is the reigning PSAC East Player of the Year. Against Millersville in Thomas Fieldhouse, he sank 14 consecutive free throws down the stretch to hold off the Marauders, 78-71.
In a tight game from start to finish, Hepburn made all the difference. Neither team led by more than five points until Lock Haven's Al Blount's free throws in the final seconds. Millersville's (13-13, 9-11, PSAC)
Sam Light hit a pair of free throws with 2:32 remaining to tie the score at 66-66. Lock Haven didn't attempt a field goal from that point forward but drilled all 12 free throws it attempted. Hepburn made eight of them. At the other end of the floor, Millersville missed five of six shots. The lone basket was a 3-pointer from
Tavon Parker with 30 seconds left that brought the Marauders within 72-69. Hepburn, however, answered with four consecutive free throws, and Millersville ran out of time.
When Millersville beat Lock Haven by 21 points in Pucillo Gymnasium exactly one month ago, the Marauders pestered Hepburn into 5-of-18 shooting and gave him just six free throws attempts. His effort on Saturday overshadowed an outstanding performance from the Marauders'
Anthony Moe, who scored 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked two shots for his second consecutive double-double and fourth in 11 games.
Millersville was sharp in the first half, hitting 54 percent of its shots. It shot 43 percent on the game and hit 15-of-17 free throws. Lock Haven shot only 39 percent but made 26-of-30 foul shots.
Light made 3-of-5 3-pointers and finished with 15 points.
Eddie Callender added 12.
Lock Haven pulled within a half-game of Millersville for the No. 4 seed from the PSAC East with the win. Shippensburg lost to Kutztown Saturday, keeping the Raiders a half-game back as well. The Marauders host Shippensburg on Wednesday in what could be the deciding game for home court advantage in the first round of the PSAC Tournament.
