Muhlenberg picked a fine time to shine.

Playing at home for the first time in over a month, against a team it hadn’t beaten in four years, an energized Muhlenberg men’s basketball

MacIntosh scored all of his career-high eight points in the first half.

team overpowered Gettysburg, 84-58. It was the Mules’ biggest win of the season, and the Bullets’ most lopsided loss since February 2004.

Junior Chris Huber tied a Muhlenberg record by connecting on all five of his three-point attempts. He tied senior Jimmy O’Brien with a game-high 19 points. The Mules (6-5, 2-3) shot a season-best 55.2 percent from the field and outrebounded the Bullets (5-7, 1-4), 45-28.

While Muhlenberg’s offense scored 84 on a defense that yields just 64.8 points per game, its defense kept one of the top three-point shooting teams at bay. Gettysburg entered the game averaging 8.55 threes per game at .381 percent, but was held to 7-of-25 from downtown.

“We worked hard in practice on switching off the guard to prepare for Gettysburg,” said Huber, who was 6-of-8 from the floor. “The switching allowed us not to get caught in screens, so we could put a hand in their face and limit what they could do.”

Tied at 14, midway through the first period, Muhlenberg went on a 12-0 run, starting with a free throw by freshman Chris MacIntosh. On the next Gettysburg possession, junior Jeff Stewart deflected a pass to himself and took the ball the full length of the court before finishing the play with a dunk. A steal by MacIntosh led to a layup by junior Jimmie Riggins.

A Bullets’ timeout could not stop the Mules’ momentum, as junior Brandon Mefford shook off a defender and hit an open layup. O’Brien capped the run with a layup and a three.

Gettysburg scored five straight to narrow the score to 26-19 with 4:34 to play in the half, but after an O’Brien layup, Stewart and MacIntosh hit two baskets apiece, and Huber knocked down a three with 3.1 left to put the Mules up 39-23. Gettysburg would not get any closer.

Huber’s hot hand took over early in the second half as he connected from beyond the arc three times in the first four minutes. Muhlenberg went up by as many as 30, 67-37, after a layup by freshman Michael Bernardini at 9:51 of the second session.

“The presence Stewart created inside allowed me to get open,” said Huber, who connected on five threes for the second game in a row. “When he gets doubled, it allows others to get off open shots.”

Stewart finished with 12 points and 13 boards for his seventh double-double of the season. O’Brien added eight rebounds (five offensive).

Head Coach Dave Madeira collected his 100th career victory in Centennial Conference play.

“We considered this a must win,” said O’Brien. “Beating Gettysburg is a great way to start 2006.”

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