GREENSBURG, Pa. - Fernando Salsamendi and Noah Davis tied for a game-high 26 points apiece as Seton Hill outlasted Clarion, 79-76, in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference men's basketball action Wednesday night inside of Salvitti Gymnasium at the McKenna Center.

Seton Hill improves to 9-11 overall and 6-10 in PSAC action. Clarion slides to 5-16 overall and just 3-13 in conference play.

Noah Davis held the hot hand in the first half, scoring 22 points and helping to keep the athletic Golden Eagles at arms length in what would be franticly-paced first that saw the lead change hands on nine difference occasions. With the game tied, 42-42, with 2:38 to go, Spencer Cason started the SHU run with a tip-in. After Trevor Lecuona's three and two Salsamendi free-throws, Clarion struck back with a layup to cut the lead to 49-44. Seton Hill would eventually take a seven point lead into the half, 51-44.

Clarion started off hot in the second half, erasing a nine-point deficit to tie the game, 53-53, with 16:28 to showing on the clock. The two teams would go back and forth over the next 10 minutes before Seton Hill grabbed the momentum again. After two Grumley free-throws cut the lead to just a point, 68-67, Seton Hill would go on to outscore Clarion, 9-1, over the next three minutes. Brandon Alston got the run started with a layup, and, following a missed Clarion layup, Salsamendi's tip-in put SHU ahead by five, 72-67. After another Clarion missed shot, Brandon Alston's jumper increased the lead to seven, 74-67, with 5:02 remaining. Two-minutes later, after Clarion's Jamani Pierce hit one of two free-throws, Salsamendi capitalized off of a missed shot with fast-break dunk on the other end to give Seton Hill their largest lead of the game 76-68, with just 55 seconds on the clock. Seton Hill would get big free-throws from Casson and Salsamendi down the stretch and the Griffins held on for the 79-76 win.

Salsamendi ended his night with a career-high 26 points on 11-of-21 shooting and added nine rebounds to co-lead the Griffins. Noah Davis also scored 26 points on 10-of-14 from the floor, including 3-of-5 from the three-point line. Spencer Casson had a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Casson just nearly missed a triple-double by registering seven blocks. The Redshirt-Junior from Presto, Pa. is the PSAC leader in blocked shots and ranks #2 overall in NCAA Division II in blocked shots per game. Brandon Alston grabbed seven boards.

Cameron Grumley came away with 25 points and 11 rebounds to pace Clarion. Jamani Pierce added 20 points and nine rebounds in the effort. Manny Power scored nine points and added a game-high seven assists for the Golden Eagles.

For the game, Seton Hill made 32 of 68 shot attempts (47.1%), including a 5-for-17 (29.4%) performance from long distance. The Griffins were a combined 10-for-16 (62.5%) from the line. Clarion hit on 28-of-67 (41.8%) from the floor. The Golden Eagles were 8-for-18 (44.4%) from the three-point line, and were 12-for-15 (80.0%) from the charity stripe. Seton Hill dominated the glass, out-rebounding Clarion by a 50-34 margin. SHU committed 16 turnovers compared to just 9 for Clarion. Seton Hill had 46 points in the paint while Clarion scored 28. Clarion held a slight advantage in points off of turnovers, scoring 14 compared to SHU's 13.

Seton Hill returns to action this Saturday, February 4th when they host Gannon University. That game is scheduled for 3:00 pm.