GREENSBURG, Pa. - La Roche men's basketball defeated Pitt Greensburg on the road Wednesday evening, 79-75 in the AMCC Game of the Week to win their third straight conference regular season title. Darius Lawrence hit the go-ahead shot on a driving layup to put the Redhawks up 77-75 with 14.5 seconds to go, his second game winning shot this season. After trailing by as many as eight points in the second, LRU outscored the Bobcats 24-13 in the final 10 minutes of the game. LRU is 3-0 in AMCC Game of the Week's this season, defeating UPG in two of those contests.
Tyler Frederick picked up his 15th double-double of the season (10th in D-III) with 27 points and 11 rebounds. Frederick added three steals, three assists and a block while shooting 11 of 17 (65%) from the field and 4 of 6 (67%) from three point range. The reigning AMCC Player of the Week has posted at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in eight games this season.
Austin Hannes scored 19 and shot 4 of 7 (57%) from deep, Hannes highest point total in nine games. It also marks the fourth time this season Hannes has drained at least four triples in a game.
LRU's primary ball handlers Darius Lawrence and Kennedy Smith combined for 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals.
La Roche is an impressive 52-3 in regular season conference play over the last three seasons. The Redhawks are 5-0 this season in games decided by four points or less.
Final: La Roche: 79, Pitt Greensburg: 75
Records: La Roche (18-6, AMCC: 18-1), Pitt Greensburg (20-5, AMCC: 16-4)
How it Happened
The Redhawks nailed four triples in the first five minutes of the contest to take an early 16-5 lead. Then, the Bobcats erupted for a 14-0 run over the next four minutes to go ahead with 19-16 halfway through the first. Austin Hannes hit a floater with 4:14 on the clock to put LRU back up 26-25. UPG outscored La Roche 10-5 at the end of the first to take a four point lead heading into halftime.
La Roche got within one point of Pitt Greensburg three sperate times in the first three and half minutes of the second before the Bobcats produced a 6-0 run to give themselves an eight point cushion with 13:25 still to go. The Redhawks got close once again after Darius Lawrence found Austin Hannes who hit the three to cap off a 6-0 run to put LRU within two. Hannes followed that up with another 3-PT and drew contact to complete the four point play, but La Roche still trailed 59-62.
Then, Freshmen Jioni Smith and Joe Pipilo sinked back-to-back buckets to give La Roche their first lead of the half, ahead 64-62 with 7:02 to play. Tyler Frederick scored five of the Redhawks next six points over the course of nearly five minutes to maintain La Roche's narrow lead. Then, Kennedy Smith drained a deep three to give La Roche a 73-69 lead with two minutes to go.The Bobcats would go on a quick 6-2 run to even the score at 75 with 37 seconds to go.
As he has many times this season, Darius Lawrence got the call with the game on the line in an isolation play. Lawrence got the inbound at midcourt, quickly bursted to the net, using his speed to blow past the first defender, and sailed the ball over the second defender off the glass and into the basket with 14.5 seconds to go. La Roche then forced a missed shot on defense and Austin Hannes got a last second baseball pass from Kennedy Smith and layed it in to seal the deal.
Inside the Box Score
The Redhawks shot 36% (12-33) in the first half and (53%) in the second.
LRU committed a season-low eight personal fouls, allowing UPG to attempt just four free throws.
La Roche hit five more three-pointers (11) than the Bobcats (6).
The Redhawks out-rebounded the Bobcats 35-32 and scored 18 second chance points.
Pitt Greensburg, who ranked 11th in D-III in field goal percentage entering Wednesday's game, shot an impressive 55% (33-60) from the field. Five different Bobcats finished with 10+ points but none scored more than 15.
NEXT UP: Men's basketball plays their final regular season game this Saturday, February 22nd at the Kerr against Alfred St. The Redhawks five seniors, Darrell Barron, Torry Hawkins, Darius Lawrence, Luke McDonough and Kennedy Smith, will be recognized in a ceremony shortly before the 1:00 p.m. tip-off time.