OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Led by Christian Roberts' 30 points, seniors scored 72 of Stevenson University's 81 points as the Mustangs secured their fourth straight MAC Commonwealth men's basketball championship bid with an 81-69 win over first-place Alvernia University at Owings Mills Gymnasium Saturday afternoon on Senior Day.  The win marked the third straight for Stevenson.

The Mustangs (11-14, 9-7 MAC Commonwealth) entered the day in a four-way tie for third place in the league standings and needed a win as well as help to qualify for the five-team tournament.  Stevenson has earned the No. 4 seed, and will host fifth-seeded Lycoming in a first round game Monday at 7:00 pm at Owings Mills Gymnasium.

Roberts finished 11-20 from the floor, including 4-7 from three-point land, and also added five assists and three steals as he reached the 30-point mark for the third time this season.  Classmate Erik Fisher was 3-5 from three-point land and totaled 20 points and 15 rebounds after posting a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) in the first half.  Senior Joe Kiely was 5-7 from the floor and added 13 points while grabbing six rebounds.

Alvernia (15-10, 11-5 MAC Commonwealth) was paced by Marquis Marshall's 24 points.

Stevenson trailed 22-14 with just under eight minutes to go in the first half and 26-20 with 4:31 to go before intermission when it embarked on a 17-1 run capped by a pair of free throws by freshman Walter English that made it 37-27 18 seconds before intermission.  The hosts carried a 37-29 lead into the locker room.

Back-to-back three-pointers by Fisher early in the second half pushed the Stevenson advantage to 12, 45-33, with just under 17 minutes to go.  An 8-0 spurt pulled the Crusaders within four, 45-41, but the Mustangs countered with a 9-3 run to make it 54-44 on an English jumper with 13:51 left.

Alvernia got the lead down to five, 59-54, with just under 12 minutes left on a conventional three-point play by Marshall, but a Roberts three on the other end pushed the Mustang lead back to eight.  The lead hovered between six and 10 for the next several minutes before a Reid Hoff three pulled Alvernia within five, 69-64, with 6:44 left.  That would be as close as the guests would get, as Roberts made a layup on the next Stevenson possession, then a Kiely three made it 74-64 with 5:28 left.  The hosts took their largest lead, 80-67, with 1:24 left on a pair of Roberts free throws.

Stevenson shot 51.7% in the second half and 50% (29-58) for the game while connecting on 10 of its 19 three-point attempts, including its first five and 6-of-9 overall in the second half.  Alvernia shot just 6-23 from long range, but shot 51.9% overall in the second half and 45.5% for the game.  The Mustangs also held a 38-28 rebounding advantage.

Six seniors were honored prior to Saturday's game.