Box Score

IMMACULATA, Pa.- The Immaculata men's basketball team continued their run of thrilling home victories with a 65-62 win over visiting Alvernia (4-4) Thursday night at Alumnae Hall.  The Mighty Macs (4-4) scored the final 10 points of the game to push their record to 3-0 on their home floor.
 
Senior Mamadou Diakite locked down his second double-double of the season and eighth of his career with 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Mighty Macs in both categories.  Diakite is averaging 20.8 points and 10 rebounds in his last four games when the Mighty Macs have gone 3-1.
 
Sophomore Matt Simon also reached double figures with 12 points on 4-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc, and junior Rodney Duncan had nine points on 3-for-3 shooting from the field.  Sophomore Roy Ferrell Jr. had eight points and four assists.
 
For the game, the Mighty Macs shot 50% (24-for-48) from the field, including 8-for-18 from the three point line, and outrebounded Alvernia, 33-27.
 
The Mighty Macs trailed 62-55 with 4:27 remaining in the game after a lay-up by the Crusaders, but those turned out to be the final points for the Crusaders as they went 0-for-7 from the floor and 0-for-1 from the free throw line to close out the game.  Immaculata started their 10-0 run with a three from Simon followed by a three from Ferrell Jr. with 2:56 to go to make it 62-61.
 
After another defensive stop, Diakite put home a lay-up with 1:55 remaining to give IU the 63-62 lead.  That bucket became the game-winner, the senior's third straight at Alumnae Hall to start the season.  Diakite would hit two free throws down the stretch and the Crusaders' last gasp opportunity missed the basket to seal the Immaculata win.
 
The teams played a very tight, back-and-forth first half as they exchanged the lead 10 times and had five ties.  Fittingly, the teams went to the locker room tied at 29-29.
 
The teams would continue to play close early in the second half, but Alvernia then got their lead up to six at 47-41, and would keep the Mighty Macs at arms' length until the late run.
 
Immaculata will now be off for 16 days until they travel to Franklin & Marshall to play the hosts in a tournament on January 3^rd at 3 p.m.  Depending on the result, they will play Richard Stockton or Lynchburg on January 4^th.