Mounties Use Big First Half to Power Past Cheyney – Win Vaults Mounties past Lock Haven and Milllersville in Tight PSAC East Playoff Picture

MANSFIELD – Matt Tamanosky scored 23 points and Jahyde Gardiner and Cedrick Powell each recorded a double-double as Mansfield used a strong first half to power past Cheyney 82-64 in a PSAC East contest Saturday afternoon on First Citizens Community Bank Court in Decker Gymnasium.

It was a great day to be a Mountaineer as Mansfield welcomed back the 1997 Men's PSAC Basketball Championship team to rehang the championship banner during halftime ceremonies.

For the second straight game Mansfield led wire-to-wire scoring the game's first two points on a layup by Matt Tamanosky a minute into the game  and extending it to a 15 point lead when Tamanosky closed out the first half with another layup to give the Mountaineers a 40-25 halftime advantage.

Mansfield kept that double-digit advantage for the entire second half, leading by as many as 22 points (55-33) on a layup by Malik Carter six minutes into the second half.

Tamanosky went 10-13 from the floor and pulled down four rebounds while Carter added 16 points. Gardiner scored 15 points along with a game-high 10 rebounds while Powell had 10 points and a career-best 11 assists.

Mansfield shot 50% from the floor and forced 23 Cheyney turnovers.

With the win, the Mountaineers vaulted back into the PSAC East playoff picture, moving past Millersville and Lock Haven into sixth place in the PSAC East, one-half game behind West Chester and one game behind Bloomsburg for fourth place.

Cheyney was led by Rafiq Marshall with a game high 26-points.

Mansfield travels to Kutztown this Wednesday.