FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – The Frostburg men's basketball team posted a 21-0 run early in the second half and held off a late charge from Mary Washington for a 68-63 win, Wednesday.
 
The Bobcats push their record to 6-8 overall and improve to 4-3 in the CAC. The win is the second in three CAC games since the New Year and moves Frostburg to fourth in the league standings.
 
Meanwhile, the Eagles settle at 10-4 overall and drop to 4-3 in the league.
 
Much of the excitement came in the second half as each team made a strong push for the win.
 
Mary Washington made two free throws early in the second half that trimmed Frostburg's three-point halftime lead to one, 26-25 just 53 seconds into the period.
 
FSU blew things wide open by scoring the game's next 21 points over a six-minute stretch that put its lead at 47-25 with 13:06 showing.
 
Sophomore Daniel Alexander started the spurt with a jumper at 18:51 and he ended the run with another jumper at 13:06. In between, he added four more points, senior Jordan Johnson scored seven points and the Bobcat lead hit double digits at 15:31 off a layup from junior Edwin Cole.
 
The Bobcats later led by 20 points, 54-34, at 10:30 thanks to a three-pointer from sophomore Lawrence Pettis, Jr. and at 8:13, Johnson hit a three-pointer for a 57-38 lead.
 
Over the final 7:58, Mary Washington began to slowly chip away at Frostburg's lead and a quick 8-0 scoring jolt starting at 5:15 trimmed the deficit to six, 62-56.
 
The Eagles continued their push and with just 50 seconds left on the clock, Mark Madison hit a three-pointer that pulled the hosts to within three, 64-61.
 
Johnson hit back-to-back foul shots for the Bobcats with 33 seconds left that pushed the lead back to five, 66-61. Michael Janokowski made two of three foul shots 11 seconds later that pulled the Eagles back to within three, 66-63 with just 22 seconds left.
 
Johnson was fouled on the ensuing Frostburg possession and he connected on both of his free throws at 00:20 and Mary Washington missed its final two shots in regulation for the 68-63 final.
 
Three Bobcat players scored in double figures and three players posted at least 10 rebounds.
 
Senior Tyler Michael registered his third double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Johnson led the Bobcats in scoring for the first time this season with 17 points, just one shy of tying his career-high.
 
Alexander and Cole just missed double-doubles of their own. Alexander finished with 12 points and nine rebounds, while Cole grabbed 11 boards to go along with nine points. Senior Chris Coston added 10 rebounds.
 
Johnny Cronin led the Eagles with 18 points, while Madison came off the bench to score 15.
 
The teams battled back and forth in the opening half and Frostburg surged to a 10-point cushion, 24-14, with 3:43 to play on a layup from Pettis, Jr.
 
UMW closed out the first stanza with a 9-2 run and trailed just 26-23 at intermission.
 
Frostburg returns to action on Saturday at Wesley at 3:00 pm.