Box Score CLARION – Calvin Edwards hit two free throws with 17.4 seconds left, and Clarion withstood a last-second three-point try by Mansfield to beat the visiting Mountaineers 74-73 Friday night at Tippin Gym.
 
The victory was the ninth straight for the Golden Eagles (10-3 overall, 6-1 PSAC West), who have won five games during the streak in either overtime or by six or fewer points.
 
Clarion trailed by six, 73-67, following a dunk by Mansfield's Chuck Harper with 2:21 to play but ended the game on a 7-0 run.
 
Paul McQueen got the comeback started with a layup at the two-minute mark, and then McQueen fed Bud Teer on a two-on-one break for a dunk that pulled the Golden Eagles within two, 73-71, with 1:37 to play.
 
Teer was then fouled rebounding a missed free throw by Charles Becoats with 21 seconds to play and hit the first of a two-shot foul to cut the deficit to 73-72. Teer, though, missed the second shot, and McQueen was forced to foul Kyle Bradley. Bradley, however, missed both free throws on a double bonus and then fouled Edwards, who had grabbed the rebound.
 
Edwards calmly sunk both charity shots to give Clarion its first lead since 55-53 advantage halfway through the second half.
 
Mansfield had one last chance, but Bradley was off the mark on an open three from the top of the circle, and McQueen grabbed the rebound as the horn sounded.
 
Edwards led all scorers with 22 points while adding five rebounds, three assists and two steals. McQueen gave the Golden Eagles two players over 20 points with 21 tallies and completed a double-double with 10 rebounds while adding four helpers, a block and a steal. Teer also had a double-double, his sixth of the season, with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Winfield Willis chipped in seven points, four assists and two steals for Clarion, which played without starting point guard Leonard Patterson (ankle).
 
Harper led Mansfield with 19 points and three steals off the bench. Bradley added 17 points, eight rebounds and three steals with Beacoats chipping in 15 points. Joe Bell added 10 points and nine boards despite playing only 23 minutes with foul trouble.
 
Clarion led by 10, 32-22, with 3:08 left in the first half before Mansfield ended the half on a 13-4 run to close within a point, 36-35, at the break.
 
The Golden Eagles then went back up nine, 53-44, with 12:51 left in the second half on an Edwards' three-pointer. But Mansfield once again had the answer in the form of a 16-2 run that featured a pair of Beacoats threes to retake the lead at 60-55 with 7:57 to play.
 
A Willis three followed by two Mike Kromka free throws tied the game at 60 with 6:49 left. The game then remained within three points until a Bradley layup with 3:26 left gave Mansfield a 71-66 lead.
Clarion returns to action at 7:30 p.m. Saturday when it hosts Bloomsburg.
 
NOTES – The nine-game win streak ties for the fourth-longest in the Ron Righter-era at Clarion, which started in 1989. The Golden Eagles also won nine straight last year. Clarion won 11 in a row in 1992 and 2000 and 14 straight in 1999 … Sophomore point guard Nathaniel Wilson made his Clarion debut Friday and had three assists, a steal and a block in 19 minutes … With seven points, Willis passed both Mike Archer and Dave Wojciechowski to move into 14^th place among freshman scoring at Clarion since 1970. Willis has 215 points on the year.