DELAWARE, Ohio – Host Ohio Wesleyan utilized lengthy runs in each half, and showcased an impressive three-point shooting attack, to down the Gators 89-72 in North Coast Athletic Conference action at the Branch Rickey Arena.

Evan Zabriski led four players in double figures for the Gators with 24 points, while tallying a team-best six assists, but the Battling Bishops connected on 13 three-pointers, and forced 19 Allegheny turnovers, to improve to a perfect 6-0 in the NCAC.   

Joining Zabriski on the scoresheet, Josh Valentic scored 15 points, Evan Schweitzer 11, and Chris Milon 10.  Milon also added a team-best eight rebounds for the Gators, who out-rebounded the Battling Bishops 32-28, and shot a respectable 50 percent from the field (25-for-50) for the game.   However, the Bishops garnered 31 points off of the Gator turnovers, as well as 15 second-chance points, while also owning a 38-32 advantage in points in the paint. 

Valentic got the Gators off to a strong start, as he led a 9-0 charge out of the gates.  The senior scored five points in the first 1:30, while Milon and Zabriski each added two points apiece over the span, as the Gators forced an OWU time out.

A minute after the time out, the Bishops cut the gap to four, 9-5, but Zabriski countered by scoring on  back-to-back possessions, capped off with an NBA-range three-pointer, to push the visitors' advantage back to nine, 14-5.

The Zabriski trey seemed to ignite the Battling Bishops,  who embarked on a 10-1 run over the next three minutes, with a pair of lay ups sandwiched between two three-pointers, to tie the game at 15-all.  With 11 minutes left in the half, Valentic connected on a layup to give the Gators back the lead at 17-15, but the Bishops countered by scoring the game's next eight points to go in front for the first time, 18-17, with 10 minutes remaining.

The OWU advantage eventually stretched to six, 23-17, before the Gators temporarily stopped the run with a Schweitzer three and a pair of Milon free throws, but the Battling Bishops countered in a big way, using a trio of three-pointers and two conventional three-point plays to end the half on a 20-10 run and enter the intermission leading 42-31.

The Battling Bishops picked up right where they left off to start the second half, scoring on six of their first seven possessions, aided by a trio of offensive rebounds, to up their lead to 59-41 with just over 16 minutes left. 

Allegheny used a team effort to chip away at the deficit.  Zabriski scored five points in a 20-second span to cut the gap to 59-46, before a Valentic lay up trimmed it to 59-48 with 14:54 left.    The Gator run continued, as a pair of threes from Valentic bookended layups by Schweitzer and Sestina to pull the Gators to within seven, 67-60, with 9:40 left in regulation. 

Ohio Wesleyan again went back to the three-pointer to regain the momentum for good, as the Battling Bishops used a trio of three-pointers to spearhead a lengthy 22-7 run that put the game away and accounted for their largest lead of the day, 89-67, with 1:08 left in regulation.

The Battling Bishops were led on the day by Ben Simpson, who poured in 24 points, while Nick Felhaber scored 17, bolstered by five three-pointers. 

Allegheny (6-7, 3-3 NCAC) will return to action on Wednesday evening, hosting NCAC rival Oberlin College at 7:30 p.m. in the David V. Wise Center.