SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. – Penn State Schuylkill Men's Basketball fell in their home opener to NCAA Division III opponent McDaniel College.

With the score even at 8-8 with 12:53 remaining in the first half, McDaniel initiated a 17-2 surge, securing a 15-point advantage that persisted into the second period.

Trailing by 18 after a successful McDaniel layup at the beginning of the second half, Schuylkill demonstrated a sense of urgency, embarking on a 12-3 run. They narrowed the deficit to single digits after a made free throw by Wilvens Fleurizard (Tamarac, FL / Coral Springs High School).

After a made free throw by McDaniel, Schuylkill embarked on another run, this time 10-3, reducing their deficit to 48-45 with 5:13 remaining.

As the game winded down, Schuylkill and McDaniel exchanged baskets. A McDaniel layup was followed by a three-pointer from Devin Adams (Baltimore, MD / Kenwood High School) at the top of the key. This pattern persisted on the next two possessions, with a McDaniel jump shot matched by a mid-range pull-up from Jahmir Tyrell (Paterson, NJ / John F. Kennedy High School), bringing the score to 52-50 in favor of McDaniel with 4:06 remaining.

After a series of back-and-forth exchanges, McDaniel widened their lead with a 7-2 run, establishing a 59-52 advantage with 1:44 left. Although Schuylkill garnered points from the charity stripe, they were unable to overcome the deficit, ultimately falling to McDaniel with a final score of 64-59.

Fleurizard led Schuylkill with 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. Antwuan Byrd (Harrisburg, PA / Bishop McDevitt High School) dropped 11 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals. Tyrell added 10 points off the bench while Dashawn Dixon (Baltimore, MD / Catonsville High School) led the team in total rebounds with 11.

Schuylkill (0-3 overall, 0-0 PSUAC) will play the second of three straight games at home on Wednesday, November 15th as they host NCAA Division III opponent Clarks Summit University. Start time for that contest is 7:00 p.m.