After being out played for the final 20 minutes against Gallaudet on Wednesday, the Lancaster Bible College men's basketball team's focus on Saturday against Morrisville State was to play hard for a full 40 minutes.

The Chargers' focus was fulfilled as they played hard for a full 40 minutes, however, a brief four-minute stretch midway through the second half, where LBC committed three turnovers and the Mustangs' scored on four straight possessions, proved to be the turning point in an 80-69 loss.

With 10:00 left in the second half, the Mustangs hit two free throws to take a 57-47 lead. Two straight LBC turnovers and Morrisville lay-ups later and it was a 14-point lead for the Mustangs. After the teams traded buckets, another LBC turnover led to a Kyle Gordon 3-pointer which gave the Mustangs a 66-49 lead.

"We had a brief stretch of poor play in the first where we let them get too many offensive rebounds and then again in the second half with those lay-ups and that 3-pointer," Assistant Coach Zack Long said. "Those two stretches hurt us."

Despite the loss, the bright spot of the game was the play of LBC junior Keith Keltner who had 21 points, six rebounds and four assists. Fifteen of Keltner's 21 points came in the first half, as he was 5-of-8 from the floor and 3-of-3 from the free throw line.

"Keith played well today, as did the whole team," Long said. "We had four guys in double figures and I really thought we played like a team."

In addition to Keltner's 21 points, Andrew Risser had 11 points and four rebounds, while Madison Warfel and Corey Leonard each added 10 points. Leonard was 5-for-5 from the floor for the second straight game and is 13-for-16 in past three games.

Brandon Hanks led the Mustangs [7-6 overall, 4-0 NEAC] with 20 points, while Mickey Davis added 15 points and four boards.

With the loss, the Chargers fall to 2-10 overall and 1-5 in the NEAC, however Long said the team didn't play like a 2-10 team on Saturday.

"I'm very proud of the guys and the way they played today," Long said. "They played with heart and they revealed a lot of character."

LBC will host SUNYIT on Friday, January 20, at 6 p.m.