PHOENIXVILLE, PA - The University of Valley Forge men's basketball team hosted McDaniel College on Monday, February 2nd.  This game could very much be categorized as a "defensive battle."  However, the Patriots used a second half spurt to pull away from McDaniel and win by a final score of 57-52.
 
The first half saw both teams struggle to score, thanks in large part to the solid defense played at each end of the court.  With less than 5:00 minutes remaining in the half, McDaniel held a slim lead, 14-12.  They would score two more buckets before Patriots' Kevin Mack hit four straight free throws.  Then, with under a minute to play in the first half, Valley Forge seized all the momentum!  First, trailing 22-18, Mack hit a 3-pointer and was fouled on the shot.  He completed the four-point play to knot it up at 22.  Then, as time was about to expire, Patriots' Brandon Rembert launched a step-back 3-pointer and nailed it!  The Patriots went into the locker room leading McDaniel 25-22.  Mack helped carry the Patriots, scoring 13 of his 20 points in the first half.
 
The Patriots' defense in the second half continued to stifle the Green Terror of McDaniel College.  They used multiple defenses throughout the game and kept McDaniel guessing all night.  Whether it was a 2-3 zone or full court press, the Patriots were effective!  After the game, Head Coach Jon Mack said, "It was their execution that made it work."  That was especially the case in the second half as the Green Terror only scored ten points in the first ten minutes.
 
Four straight points from Kevin Mack gave the Patriots a 40-32 lead with 9:45 remaining.  McDaniel brought it back to within four, but then Patriots' Joseph Taylor rattled off six straight points of his own to keep the Green Terror at a distance.  McDaniel gave it a good effort to try and get back in the game, but they could only get as close as four points.  Valley Forge knocked in some free throws down the stretch and sealed the victory, 57-52.
 
Mack finished with 20 points, including 3-4 from 3-point range and 7-8 from the charity stripe.  Taylor finished the game with 13 points and had a game-high 4 steals.  Rembert rounded out the double-digit scoring for the Patriots with 13 points.
 
The next match-up for the Patriots will be this Thursday evening against Penn State Schuylkill at 7PM @ The Pit.
Go Patriots!