The Lancaster Bible College men's basketball team dropped another close game on Wednesday night, as the Chargers lost to Gallaudet, 73-71 in Washington, D.C. The loss is the third for the Chargers over the past 10 days, and all have come by six points or less. Lancaster Bible is now 14-10 overall this season, and 11-4 in North Eastern Athletic Conference play, while the Bison improved to 6-18 overall and 6-9 in NEAC action.
 
How it Happened: Things looked bleak in the early going for the Chargers, as Gallaudet scored the game's first 10 points, and Lancaster Bible didn't record its first basket of the game until the 12:31 mark when Luke Beers knocked down a 3-pointer off a feed from Britton Beachy. Beers' basket ignited an 8-0 run, as Benny Raymond followed with a layup, and Alex Whitt drained a 3-pointer with 10:01 to play in the first, to make it a two-point game.
 
The Chargers eventually tied the game at both 14-14, and 16-16, but Gallaudet used a late run to grab a 29-18 lead, and eventually led, 34-24 at halftime.
 
Lancaster Bible cut its deficit to seven, 38-31, early in the second half, but Gallaudet responded immediately, and went on a 13-0 run to take a 51-31 lead with 15:25 remaining. The teams traded baskets over the next five minutes, as Lancaster Bible still trailed, 60-43 with 9:56 to play after a jumper from Gallaudet's Noah Valencia.
 
The Chargers amped up the offensive attack from that point however, and over the next four minutes got back into the game possession after possession, and Quentin Davis' layup with 5:10 remaining brought Lancaster Bible to within four, 63-59. After a basket from Gallaudet, Raymond cut the deficit back to four, and after a flagrant foul called on the Bison, Jordan Shewbridge brought the Chargers to within two, 65-63 after two free throws.
 
Shewbridge scored on the next possession as well, and the Chargers knotted the game at 65-65, just under 12 minutes after trailing by 20. After two free throws from Gallaudet, Shewbridge hit another 3-pointer, and gave Lancaster Bible a 68-67 advantage with 3:06 remaining.
 
After Gallaudet led by as many as three, the Chargers sliced into the deficit , and then tied the game again, as Beers was fouled with eight seconds to play, and calmly knocked down two free throws to make it 71-71. Gallaudet called timeout, and eventually raced down the floor, and Corey Smith found Trace Martin on the baseline, and he hit a jumper with 1.8 second remaining to give the Bison a two-point edge.
 
Lancaster Bible worked the ball up the floor after a timeout, and then called another with 1.4 seconds remaining, and Beachy's in-bound pass found Shewbridge somehow in the corner, but needing to get the shot off quickly, he could not set his feet properly, and the ball hit the front of the rim, and the Chargers were sent to their third loss in four games.
 
By the Numbers: Lancaster Bible shot just 33.3 percent (24-of-72) from the field, including 12-of-39 from 3-point range…The Chargers were also 11-of-15 from the free throw line, all of which came in the second half…The Bison shot 48.1 percent (25-of-52) from the floor, and just 6-of-18 from beyond the arc…Gallaudet was 17-of-26 from the free throw line…Shewbridge led four players in double figures with 19 points, as he connected for five 3-pointers…Beers finished with 17 points and seven boards, while Whitt and Raymond each added 11 points…Whitt also chipped in with eight rebounds and three blocks, while Davis had six points and 10 rebounds…Brett Bechler had five points four assists, and Beachy had two points, four assists and three rebounds…Steve Valencia-Biskupiak led the Bison with 19 points.
 
The Coach Says: "I'm proud of the way we responded tonight, but obviously, we can't have lapses like that for 15 minutes of a game," Lancaster Bible Head Coach Andrew Wingreen said. "I thought we did well down the stretch, and overcame a lot of circumstances around us. We had a great look to win the game, it just didn't go in, and that happens."
 
More Thoughts from the Game: "We need to get better executing offensively, and playing with consistent energy and an aggressive tempo," Wingreen said. "We let Gallaudet control the game the entire first half."
 
Information Hodge Podge: Lancaster Bible is now 9-9 all-time against Gallaudet…The Chargers defeated the Bison, 70-61 in December in Lancaster…The Chargers finish the regular season with a 6-6 record in true road games, and a 6-7 mark in all games away from Horst Athletic Center…Lancaster Bible had 11 made free throws on Wednesday, marking the seventh time in eight games the Chargers have made 11 or fewer free throws in a game...The 12 made 3-pointers are tied for the third-most in a game this season...Shewbridge has made five or more 3-pointers in a game nine times this season, and has at least one 3-pointer in 23 of 24 games this season.
 
Up Next: Lancaster Bible will wrap-up its regular season on Saturday, as the Chargers will host Penn St. Abington at 2 p.m….It will be Senior Day on Saturday, and the Chargers will honor seniors Alex Whitt and Quentin Davis prior to the contest.