near triple-double and all-star return
for naught in hoops losses

The Muhlenberg basketball teams are still 0-for-2011 after games of last night.

Despite a record-setting night from freshman center Kevin Hargrove, the men’s team’s tough luck continued as it dropped another tight contest, 62-54 at DeSales.

Hargrove (left) turned back 10 Bulldog shots to surpass the old Mule record of eight blocks in a game set by Jeff Stewart against Washington in 2005. Hargrove also finished two points shy of a triple-double with 13 rebounds and 8 points. And the key to his defensive success was simple.

“I just kept my hands straight up,” the 6-foot-10 Hargrove said. “Instead of going after the block and fouling people I just stood straight up and let the block come to me.

“Getting the record is nice, I guess. But I would much rather have gotten the win.”

The Mules fell behind by as many as eight in the early portion of the game, but closed the half on a 16-7 run, including a 9-0 streak midway through the half, to pull ahead at the break, 25-24.

But for the third game in a row, Muhlenberg could not hold onto its halftime advantage.

DeSales came out hot in the second half and scored 10 of the first 13 points of the frame to move back in front. The Mules did not let the Bulldogs pull away, however, thanks in large part to a pair of 3-pointers from freshman Austin Curry and a triple from senior Evan Tozer.

Muhlenberg finally made it a one-possession game when Curry knocked down a pair of free throws to pull the Mules within three with 1:00 to play. But that would be the last of Muhlenberg’s scoring as the Bulldogs hit their eighth 3-pointer of the night and added a pair of free throws to seal the game.

Junior Spencer Liddic joined Hargrove with a double-double of his own (16 points, 11 rebounds), while Curry scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half.
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Meanwhile, the women’s team suffered its first loss of the season, 63-60 at Dickinson, spoiling the return of Centennial Conference player of the year Kelly McKeon, who missed the first eight games of the season with an injury.

The Red Devils, who came into the game just 8-for-70 from three-point range on the season, hit two treys in a game-ending 10-2 run over the final two minutes to pull ahead.

Muhlenberg overcame a 10-point deficit early in the second half to take a 43-42 lead on a jumper by senior Sheila Cook with less than 10 minutes to play. The teams seesawed back and forth until the Mules went on a 7-0 run to go up 58-53. McKeon (right) sparked the last two baskets of the run after pulling down defensive rebounds, passing to senior Alexandra Berlin for a fast-break layup and then taking it the length of the court herself.

The Red Devils broke the run by hitting a three from the corner and went ahead 61-60 on another three with 28.1 seconds left. The Mules missed a shot on their next possession, and after Dickinson hit two free throws, a three-point attempt was blocked in the waning seconds.

Junior Alexandra Chili scored a game-high 18 points and made the 200th three-pointer of her career. Sophomore Alita Zabrecky had 11 points and a team-high 7 rebounds, while McKeon finished with 9 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists.
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Click here for complete stats.