Jan. 19, 2000

Box Score

WORCESTER, MA - Lafayette connected on all 10 of its free throws in the final 2:30 to seal a 77-70 Patriot League road victory. Senior Brian Ehlers, the reigning conference Player of the Year, scored a season-high 28 points, including six of the Leopards' final 12 points.

Lafayette (10-5, 2-0 Patriot League) took the lead for good at the 7:06 mark of the first half as Tyson Whitfield's three-pointer broke a 22-22 tie. The Leopards eventually scored the final 10 points of the first half to lead 39-29 at halftime.

The Leopards roared out to a 15-point lead at 49-34 to begin the second half, but Holy Cross kept answering. The Crusaders (6-10, 1-2 Patriot League) whittled the Lafayette lead down to four points (65-61) with 3:13 remaining on a Tim Szatko lay-up.

Ehlers then connected on four straight free throws and made one jumper, and Rob Worthington sunk four free throws to lead the Leopards to victory.

"We played a very strong team tonight that's getting a lot of their players back," said fifth-year Leopards' Head Coach Fran O'Hanlon after the hard-fought road victory. "I honestly thought coming into this season that Holy Cross would be one of the teams to make a run at the league title. They definitely showed that tonight."

Holy Cross outrebounded Lafayette 35-33, but the Leopards shot 56 percent from the field compared to 38 percent by the Crusaders.

Ehlers scored 17 of his 28 points in the first half, while Whitfield contributed 16 points, Brian Burke scored eight points - including two-for-two from the foul line with 25.9 seconds left, Worthington finished with seven points, and Frank Barr notched seven points. Leopard center Stefan Ciosici was in foul trouble most of the contest and finished with three points.

Holy Cross was led by Brian Wilson's 17 points, while transfer center Josh Sankes added 15 points, Szatko had 13 points, and Ryan Serravalle finished with 10 points.

Lafayette continues Patriot League road action on Saturday, January 22, at Army in a 3:15 p.m. tip-off, before returning home to the Kirby Sports Center on Wednesday, January 26, to host arch rival Lehigh at 8:00 p.m.