Click on photo above for postgame interview with Chris Milon

MEADVILLE, Pa. – Facing a four-point deficit with less than five minutes remaining, the Gators closed the game with a flurry on both sides of the ball to pull out a 62-56 victory over North Coast Athletic Conference foe Oberlin at the David V. Wise Center.

Over the game's final two minutes, senior Josh Valentic scored six of his game-high 27 points, while the Gators held the Yeomen scoreless and forced three turnovers, as Allegheny improved to 4-3 in the NCAC and 7-7 overall.

Valentic, who scored 18 of his 27 points in the second half, also added a game-high five steals along with four assists.  Sophomore Evan Zabriski scored 19 points, marking his tenth consecutive game with at least 15 points, while adding a team-high nine rebounds.  Junior Chris Milon was a third Gator to score in double figures, posting 12 points, while also adding a team-best four blocks and sharing the team lead with four helpers.

After leading for the majority of the first 30 minutes of play, the Gators saw Oberlin embark on a lengthy 21-9 run to take a 53-49 advantage with just inside five minutes left in regulation.  A pair of emphatic Milon blocked shots then swung the momentum, as he and Valentic each scored on layups in a one-minute span to give the Gators back the lead, 56-56, at the two-minute mark, before an Oberlin free throw would tie the game back up with 1:53 left.

The Gators countered with e lengthy possession of nearly 45 seconds, aided by offensive rebounds from Milon and Zabriski, but were unable to put points on the board.  Oberlin couldn't cash in, missing a long three-pointer, and Zabriski responded with a layup through traffic off of a Milon feed to put the Gators in front 58-56 at the one-minute mark.

On the ensuing trip, the Gators' Chris Koryak stripped the Oberlin guard at midcourt, and Valentic made the Yeomen pay for the miscue by hitting a jumper from just inside the foul line to push the lead up to 62-56 with 19 seconds left.   He then stepped in front of an Oberlin pass for his fifth theft of the night, was fouled, and hit the two free throws with 10 seconds left to seal the Gator win.

The Gators began sluggishly in a defensively-themed first half, with Oberlin jumping out to an 11-4 lead after an opening seven minutes that saw the teams combine for 10 turnovers and just five field goals.   

Zabriski led Allegheny back from the early deficit, connecting on a trio of three-pointers in a two-minute span to spearhead a 14-2 run that was capped off by a Valentic three to put the Gators in front 18-13 with 8:30 left in the opening half.

The Gator lead would swell to seven, 23-16, on Valentic's second trey of the half at the five-minute mark, before Oberlin entered the intermission on a surge, with the Gators taking a 28-24 lead into the break.

Both teams' offenses struggled in the first half, with the Gators shooting just 37 percent (11-for-29) and the Yeomen 42 percent (8-for-19).  The Yeomen out-rebounded Allegheny 18-14 over the opening 20 minutes, but Oberlin committed 19 turnovers that led to 14 Gator points.

A pair of Zabriski free throws, followed by a Milon layup, gave the Gators their largest lead of the night, 32-24, with 17:43 remaining.  The Gators then went cold, however, managing just three field goals over the next nine minutes, while the Yeomen countered to take a 42-38 lead with 9:37 left.

After a Valentic three temporarily halted the Yeomen run and put the Gators back up 43-42 with 8:30 left, Oberlin answered by taking leads of 50-45 and 53-49 before Milon's blocked shots turned the tide.

While the trio of Valentic, Zabriski, and Milon did the bulk of the damage offensively for the Gators, the victory was aided by strong play from a host of players.  Evan Schweitzer grabbed a season-best eight rebounds, while Koryak stepped in for injured sixth man Gabe Seidman by contributing with a season-best three boards,  along with the decisive steal in the final minute.

The Gators shot 42 percent for the game (24-for-56), compared to a 40 percent (19-for-47) showing from the Yeomen.  Both teams connected on seven three-pointers, while the Gators continued their strong performance from the foul line, where they went 7-for-8.  Allegheny's defense forced 25 Yeomen turnovers, off of which the Gators scored 22 points.

Oberlin was led on the scoresheet by the duo of Scott Miller and Nathan Cohen who each scored 12 points, while Randy Ollie came off the bench to record a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double.

Allegheny will return to action on Sat. Jan. 17, hosting Denison University in a 3 p.m. Alumni Day contest at the Wise Center.  The Gators will welcome back its alumni, who will take part in an alumni game in the morning prior to Allegheny's tilt with the Big Red.