Sharon, PA - The Penn State Shenango Men's basketball team (1-3) was unable to string together two wins in a row as they dropped a 78-76 decision to Villa Maria College (2-2) at the F.H. Buhl Club on Wednesday evening.

Last nights' game was a fast paced back and forth action packed contest that featured fantastic basketball technique and a back-and-forth momentum that saw the teams tied 6 times and featured 20 lead changes.

Both teams came out firing in the first half with multiple jump shots and superb finger-tip roll ins. Villa Maria's Rhalon Bragg scored 19 of the team's first 25 points as his accuracy proved to be a difference maker in the first frame. Bragg eventually finished with 21 points in the first half. Shenango answered as D'Montez Owens speed and fluid movements allowed him to weave through the Vikings defense to keep the score close. Dimarius Hill sank the rock from behind the arch and Shenango closed the gap to trail by two 36-34 at the half.

The Second half saw Shenango tighten up their defensive efforts. Cameron Brown and Malik Davis grabbed several key rebounds. Brown was spot on in several of those boards and helped to dish out some key passes that led to Shenango points. Hill sank several key threes from both sides of the arch and Shenango kept it close through out the second frame. Sophomore John Figueroa and Owens took turns along with Brown in keeping Bragg in check, but the Viking Jr Guard found his groove again late in the second frame. He connected on several three's and was 11/12 from the foul line. The Vikings looked to pull away, but The Lions forced 24 Vikings turnovers which helped to keep the game close. Hill once again came through as he whirled his way through the Viking defense to hit a runner with 28 seconds left to send the match to OT tied at 69.

In OT the young Lions team flexed their moxie.  Davis secured his first bucket of the game and The Lions found themselves up by two (76-74) with 75 seconds to play. Bragg once again hit a key shot from behind the arch with Shenango's Malik Weatherington guarding him closely. Bragg then sank yet another free throw from the charity stripe to secure a 78-76 victory for Villa Maria.

Bragg finished with a 39 pts, 15 rebound double double to lead all players in both categories. Shenango was led by Hill (21 pts) and Owens (16 Pts) Hill was spectacular over the course of the second half an OT scoring 14 pts in that time frame.

The Lions will return to the court this Friday, November 12th vs. Thiel at Westminster College for the annual Buzz Ridl Classic.