Growing pains are just that - pains.

The Lancaster Bible College men's basketball team went through growing pains on Tuesday night in Grantham, Pa. with a 75-50 loss to host Messiah. After leading 19-8 with 10:21 remaining in the first half, the Chargers gave up a 31-8 run by the Falcons and trailed 39-27 at the half. The second half didn't go much better as the Chargers were outscored 36-23 en route to a 75-50 defeat.

"Messiah picked up the intensity and our stamina and composure didn't match it," Chargers' Head Coach Pete Beers said. "I thought we settled for shots in the second half and didn't make them pay for their overplay at times."

Benjamin Scott led LBC with eight points, while Brett Derr and Darrell Epps each had seven points. The Chargers shot 45.5% from the field in the first half, but a dismal 28.6% in the second half.

"We need to process as a team what happened and we will learn from it," Beers said. "The willingness is there, we just have to match the ability of the guys with their willingness."

Five Chargers' players made their collegiate debuts last night [Epps, Nick Monroe, Mike McKoy, Kurt Keltner and Corey Leonard] and Beers said there were flashes of what the future holds at LBC, but that they guys need to come together a bit more.

"The flashes of a bright future were there, but I think some we are playing for position and not for a purpose," Beers said. "We have to come together and play with and for a purpose."

David Fernandez led Messiah with 16 points, while Derek Mosley had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Jeremiah Runkle added a game-high 15 rebounds for the Falcons.

Though the growing pains hurt now, Tuesday's game was just the first of 25 games for LBC this season and Beers hopes the team will grow from the mistakes.

"If we take the game for what it was, we will grow," Beers said. "If we make excuses, we won't grow and our schedule is not conducive to us making excuses."

LBC returns to the court on Thursday when they take on Rosemont at 7:00 p.m.