Freshman Isaiah Valentine hit a jumper to tie the game for the first time with 18 seconds left for the Lycoming College men’s basketball team, but Arcadia’s Justin Money hit the front end of a one-and-one with five seconds left to lift third-seeded Arcadia to a 74-73 win over second-seeded Lycoming in a MAC Freedom Championship semifinal on Wednesday at Lamade Gym.

The Warriors (16-10 overall) raced down the court after Money missed the backend of the free throw, with senior Dyson Harward grabbing the rebound. Lycoming got a clear look from three, but the shot bounced off the rim and to the top of the backboard after time expired, ending the game.

The Knights (14-11 overall) advance to a conference title game for the first time since 2020 and will face top-seeded DeSales (21-5 overall), who beat Stevens, 65-62, in the other semifinal.

Lycoming’s seven seniors leave after going 58-32 in the blue and gold, appearing in four postseasons, three championship finals and winning twice.

Senior Mo Terry led the Warriors with 21 points, senior Dyson Harward added 19 points and nine rebounds and junior Steven Hamilton posted 14 points, six assists and three steals. Valentine finished with eight points and three steals.

Down by 14 with 5:04 left, the Warriors rallied with a 17-3 run, starting it with a pair of free throws from Terry before Terry got a fastbreak layup to cut the lead to 10. Harward knocked down a second-chance 3-pointer and Valentine picked up a steal and drove in for a coast-to-coast layup to make it 70-65 with 2:18 left.

Money ended the run with a 3-pointer with 1:46 left, but Hamilton hit a stepback 3-pointer in response with 1:21 left and then drove in for a layup to make it 73-70 with 40 seconds left. A bad inbounds pass gave Lycoming the ball back, setting up Valentine’s corner look on a dish from under the basket by Hamilton.

Arcadia inbounded and got the ball to Money, and Lycoming fouled him going for a steal just inside the 3-point line, sending him to the line.

Arcadia scored the first eight points of the game before junior Brendon Blackson got the Warriors started with a turnaround jumper three minutes in, starting a run of seven straight points.

The Knights used a 17-4 run in the middle portion of the half to take a 16-point lead, with the Warriors cutting that down to 12 by halftime, 37-25.

Money finished with a game-high 25 points, going 5-for-5 from deep, to go with five rebounds, Nas Johnson had 20 points and three assists and Jalen Watkins finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists.