WESTMINSTER, Md. – McDaniel built a 10-point lead early in the second half before holding on to defeat Muhlenberg 56-54 in Centennial Conference (CC) men's basketball action on Saturday.

Wes Brooks (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) and Josh McWilliams (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) scored 14 points each to lead the Green Terror (9-9, 6-6 CC) back to .500 and fourth place in the conference standings entering the final month of the season.

Nick Rindock led three players in double figures for the Mules (7-10, 4-7 CC) with 18 points. John Hunter chipped in a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.

Trailing 38-28 nearly two minutes into the second half, Muhlenberg slowed cut into the deficit, evening tying the game at 47-all on a Rindock jumper with 8:20 to play.

With 6:35 on the clock, McWilliams canned a 3-pointer to put the hosts back in front for good.

Hunter responded with a putback but McWilliams drained another triple to make it a 53-49 game with 4:00 showing.

A Brooks steal-and-layup 40 seconds later pushed the lead back to six.

The Mules trimmed the margin to 55-52 but McWilliams hit the first of two free throws with 7.6 seconds remaining to make it a two-possession game.

Rindock drove the lane and hit a layup with 1.0 seconds left. The Mules attempted to foul and Brooks went to the line with 0.4 seconds on the clock. The free throw bounced off the front iron to allow time to expire.

McWilliams opened the game with a 3-pointer as the shot clock was expiring before two Rindock free throws and a JeanLee Baez layup gave the Mules their only lead of the game with 16:35 on the clock.

Six straight Green Terror points broke an 11-all deadlock and gave the hosts a 17-11 lead with 9:02 remaining.

The lead grew as large as seven before Muhlenberg sliced the deficit to 23-21 with 3:40 on the clock.

Two Brooks free throws and a Nick Yockey (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) layup quickly pushed the lead back to five en route to a 34-28 advantage at the intermission.

McDaniel returns to action at Dickinson on Tuesday. Game time is 8 p.m.

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