ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Penn State Lehigh Valley held off a late push from Penn State–Hazleton to secure a 56–53 victory Tuesday night, earning a hard-fought home win in PSUAC action.

The Nittany Lions used a balanced effort and timely defense to overcome a tight contest that featured multiple lead changes. After taking a one point advantage into halftime 25-24.

Penn State Lehigh Valley matched Hazleton basket for basket in the second half and made key plays down the stretch to seal the three-point win.

Cam’Ron Black provided a spark off the bench, pouring in 12 points while knocking down shots at critical moments. CJ Santos led team in scoring with 13 points and battled inside, while Emmanuel Kenyi contributed across the stat sheet with seven points, five rebounds, and four assists. Kyle John was active on the glass, pulling down six rebounds to help Lehigh Valley control the boards.

Defensively, the home team forced turnovers and limited Hazleton’s efficiency, particularly from beyond the arc. Penn State Lehigh Valley finished the night shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from three-point range, capitalizing on opportunities at the free-throw line and on second-chance points.

Hazleton was led by Thomas Loughry, who scored a game-high 17 points off the bench, but the visitors couldn’t overcome Lehigh Valley’s composure in the final minutes.

With the win, Penn State Lehigh Valley improves to 4–9 on the season and 2–5 in conference play, building momentum as the team travels out west to conference opponents Friday @ PSU Fayette and Saturday @ PSU Beaver. The Nittany Lions will look to carry Tuesday’s energy and execution into their next PSUAC matchup.