Reading, PA - Senior guard Lamar Brickus nailed a pair of free throws and came up with a last second steal that sealed a 66-63 win for Alvernia College over Montclair State in the final of the Tom Masano Auto Group Tip-Off Saturday afternoon at the Physical Education Center.

Alvernia senior Zach Straining tallied 11 points, three boards, and four assists and earned MVP honors for two days of consistent effort.

Montclair State (1-1) nearly overcame an eight point deficit in the final minute of play to stun the Crusaders (2-0), but Brickus knocked down two free throws with 4.3 seconds left and stole a pass at midcourt as the Crusaders won their own tip-off tournament for the fourth time in eight years and third in the last four.

Senior forward Chris Talley dropped in a layup with 54 seconds left to put Alvernia up eight, 63-55.  MSU senior GIAN PAUL GONZALEZ, who represented Montclair St. along with freshman JONATHAN ARTHUR on the All-Tournament Team, scored five straight points in 24 seconds to pull the Red Hawks within three with half a minute to play.  Alvernia senior Ryan Finger made one of two free throws to push the gap to four, but Montclair junior JAMES KOSIOR nailed a 3 from the right corner to cut the lead to a point, 64-63, with 14 seconds left.  The Red Hawks played for a steal on the Crusaders' last possession before fouling Brickus in the Crusaders' frontcourt.

Neither team held a lead over four points for the opening 10 minutes before the Red Hawks nailed three 3s in a four minute stretch to build an eight point edge at 34-26 with 5:21 left in the first half.  Brock hit one of his four 3s a minute later and the Crusaders scored the final six points of the half to pull within two, 34-32, at the break.

Brock opened the second with another 3 and the Crusaders had their first lead at 35-34 since a 17-15 edge midway through the first.  Three ties ensued before Alvernia took its largest lead of the game with an 11-2 run that put the hosts up 50-41 with 7:34 to play.  Montclair cut the lead to three on two occasions with just over three minutes to go, but Talley and junior Garrett Etzel, the heroes of Friday night's win, combined for seven of the next nine points and Alvernia had the eight point edge with 54 seconds to play.

NICK ALDIERO had nine points for Montclair State, which returns to Panzer Gymnasium for its home opener on Tuesday, November 22 against New Jersey City at 8:00 pm