HUNTINGDON, Pa. - A 12-0 Juniata run midway through the second half proved to be the difference, as the Eagles defeated the Gators 69-55 in non-conference action at the Memorial Gymnasium.

Leading 48-44 with 10:29 left in regulation, the Gators (2-1) were held without a field goal for nearly seven minutes, and watched Juniata (2-1) pull away for the victory.  

The game was tight from the start, as the two teams combined for eight lead changes in a high-scoring first five minutes of play.  The Eagles led by as many as three points twice in the first five minutes, but a 9-2 Allegheny run, with five points from Evan Zabriski and four from Josh Valentic, gave the visitors an 18-14 advantage with 15 minutes left in the first half.

Trailing 20-19 at the 10-minute mark, Andrew Sestina scored four points in a 40-second span to put the Gators back in front, 23-21.  The teams would then continue to trade baskets over the latter stages of the first half, and after the Gators took a 29-28 lead on a Valentic free throw with 4:37 left, the Eagles scored six of the final nine points of the half to take a 34-32 lead into the intermission.

Allegheny quickly charged back to regain the lead in the opening stages of the second half.  A three-pointer by Zabriski followed by a layup by Brandon Smith pulled the Gators to within one, 38-37, at the 17-minute mark, before an Evan Schweitzer jumper and a long three-pointer by Gabe Seidman gave the Gators back the lead, 42-41, with 14:20 remaining.  Valentic followed by sinking a pair of free throws to close out the 7-4 mini run.

Buckets by Zabriski and Valentic would push the Gators in front 48-44 with 10:54 remaining, but the Gators then went cold, while the Eagles embarked on the fateful 12-0 run, scoring on six of their next eight possessions, to go up 56-48 with 4:44 left to play.  Allegheny answered back, with buckets from Smith and Valentic cutting the gap to 56-52 at the three-minute mark.  It was as close as the Gators would come, however, as they were forced to foul down the stretch, with Juniata going a perfect 9-for-9 from the line over the final 2:30 to seal the victory.

Valentic led Allegheny with 14 points, while Zabriski was a second Gator in double-figures, scoring 11.  Seidman and Smith each added eight points for Allegheny, which shot 44 percent (20-for-45) from the field for the game.  The Eagles made just one more field goal on the evening, but made up for it at the foul line, as they went 23-for-27, compared to the Gators' 10-for-14.  Zabriski grabbed a game-high six rebounds, with Seidman and Chris Milon each adding four.

Justin Fleming led five Juinata players in double figures with 21 points, as he went 10-for-11 from the foul line.  

The Gators will have a two-day layoff before they look to bounce back on Saturday, when they make the short trek to Greenvile, Pa. to face Thiel in a 2 p.m. non-conference tilt.