HAVERFORD, Pa. – Haverford College owned a lead over visiting Muhlenberg College for nearly 23 minutes during the middle of the game Wednesday night in Centennial Conference men's basketball action, but the Mules rallied to take the lead late and the stubborn Fords fell by a score of 70-61.
With one more game remaining in the regular season, Haverford falls to a 9-15 record overall and 7-10 mark in the conference. Conference tournament-bound Muhlenberg improves to 16-8 and 10-7 with the win.
The early lead teetered back-and-forth three times in early action before Haverford began taking control. Trailing 9-6, Haverford's Gibby Graves dropped in an easy layup to pull the Fords within one and they moved ahead their next time down the floor as Cam Baker's steal and jumper pushed the home team ahead, 10-9, with 15 minutes remaining in the half.
The advantage would sit with Haverford through the remainder of the half and into second half action. A three-point halftime lead expanded to five on four occasions in the first six minutes following the intermission but the Mules clawed back to knot things at 47-47 with under 13 minutes left.
Though Muhlenberg pulled out to a five-point edge, Haverford battled back to wrest the lead away with 5:43 to play when Baker's driving layup and converted free throw completed a three-point play to give the Fords a 55-54 lead.
Muhlenberg answered with an 8-0 run over the next two minutes to pull back ahead, then closed out the win in Haverford's final home game of the 2011-12 season.
Ian Goldberg, in his final appearance on the Gooding Arena court, finished with a team-high 15 points giving him 998 for his career. Fellow senior Bo Friddell added 13 points and pulled down five rebounds during his last outing in the arena. Baker notched a 14-point night and is just five points away from hitting the 1,000 point career plateau.
Malique Killing led the Mules with 20 points with Spencer Liddic adding 16. Muhlenberg's Kevin Hargrove hit for the double-double with 13 points and 12 boards.
Haverford closes out its season on Saturday afternoon with a trip to Swarthmore College for the second of the rivalry games between the Fords and Garnet this season. Haverford defeated visiting Swarthmore 65-62 in a mid-January match-up. Saturday's finale will tip off at 4 p.m.