WILLIAMSPORT, PA. –  A second half surge from sophomore guard Jay Fitzgerald (Philadelphia, PA) powered the Penn State Abington men's basketball team to a  66-55 win in the opening round of the Louis Fleming Basinger Memorial Tournament Friday night. The Nittany Lions improve to 5-5 after the win.

Fitzgerald led the Nittany Lions with 16 points and recorded nine rebounds in the effort. Senior forward Jordan Lomax (West Haven, CT) dominated the boards recording a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Abington started with the hot hand netting two shots from downtown to give the Nittany Lions the early 10-5 advantage. Another three-ball from freshman Charles Ervin (Quakertown, PA) pushed the Nittany Lions lead to seven points with under 12 minutes left in the half.  The Warriors chipped away at the lead throughout the period and with under a minute left, Lycoming's Mark Anthony Fidelis hit a clutch three to cut the lead.

In the second half the Warriors came out firing and took the lead after hitting three of their shots from behind the arc to take a 37-35 lead with 16 minutes left in the game. After the lead change the Nittany Lions shifted momentum with a 10-0 run helped by earning tough points in the paint. With only eight minutes left on the clock the Warriors again took the lead with their fantastic shooting from the three-point arc.  Down 52-49 the Nittany Lions defense clamped down on the Warriors and kept them off the board until the final two minutes of action and took a 61-53 lead. Lycoming threatened the Nittany Lions lead, but clutch shooting from the free-throw stripe helped the visitors hold on for the win.  

Abington will be back in action tomorrow in the championship game against Misericordia at 1:00 p.m.