ERIE, Pa. – The No. 7 nationally ranked Mount Union men's basketball team beat Penn State Behrend in a non-conference matchup 76-63 on Thursday night.

The Purple Raiders (3-0) had four players score in double figures, with junior Christian Parker (Canton / GlenOak) leading the way with a game-high 20 points. Seniors Jeffery Mansfield (Wilmington), Collen Gurley (Akron / Hoban) and Braedon Poole (McDonald) all added 11 points apiece.

The Lions (2-1) were led by Tommy DiRienzo and Matt Niland who both scored a team high 11 points.

The Raiders and the Lions had a back and forth first five minutes before a layup by Parker sparked a 12-5 run over the next five minutes to give Mount Union a 20-12 lead with 10:12 remaining in the first half. Penn State Behrend would respond with a 10-2 run of their own to tie the game at 22 with just over seven minutes left in the half. A three pointer by senior Darrell Newsom (Twinsburg) would start a 12-3 run over the next 3:36 that was capped off by a three from senior Chris Painter Jr. (Akron / St. Vincent-St. Mary) to give the Raiders a 34-25 lead with three and a half minutes to go in the half. Mount Union and Penn State Behrend would trade baskets over the last three and a half minutes of the half, giving the Raiders a 39-30 halftime lead.

Mount Union and Penn State Behrend would go back and forth over the first four minutes of the second half, before a dunk by Mansfield started a 16-6 run over the next eight minutes to give the Raiders an 18-point 58-40 lead with 8:55 remaining in the game. The Lions would cut the lead down to 13 with under a minute to go but Mount Union would go on to win 76-63.

The Raiders are back in action again tomorrow when they take on Juniata at 7 p.m. in Erie, Pa.