SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Gators used a stifling defense and balanced scoring attack to defeat Wittenberg 64-54, and improve to 2-0 in the North Coast Athletic Conference.
Trailing 27-25 at the half, Allegheny (2-6, 2-0 NCAC) opened the second frame on a 17-9 run and never looked back, eventually outscoring the Tigers 39-27 over a final 20 minutes in which the Gators shot a blistering 61 percent from the field (11-for-19).
The Gator defense forced 12 turnovers for the game, and limited the Tigers (5-2, 2-1 NCAC) to just 35 percent shooting from the field, including a 9-for-39 mark from behind the three-point line.
Offensively, nine different players found the scoresheet for the Gators, with six tallying at least eight points.
Chris Milon led the way with 11 points, going 4-for-4 from the field, while fellow big man
Brandon Smith connected on five of six attempts for 10 points.
Conor Macomber added nine points, while
Evan Zabriski,
Andrew Sestina, and
Billy Urso each bucketed eight in the victory, the first for the Gators at Wittenberg since Jan. 31, 2010.
Urso got the Gators off to a strong start, hitting a long three-pointer on the first possession of the game, but Wittenberg quickly countered, rattling off a 12-0 run over the next five minutes to go up 12-3.
A Zabriski jumper at the 14-minute mark halted the Wittenberg run, and kickstarted a surge for the Gators. Sestina's first three-pointer of the season pulled the Gators to within 15-10 with 10:40 remaining, and after Smith connected on a driving layup,
Antonio Frisina scored from international waters to tie the game at 15-all with 7:56 left in the half.
The Gators went back on top with 3:24 remaining after Macomber scored on consecutive trips, but the Tigers would enter the locker room leading 27-25 after closing the half with a last-second layup.
Allegheny came out of the intermission on fire, rattling off a quick 10-4 run, highlighted by trifectas from Zabriski and Urso, to jump in front 35-29 with 17 minutes left in regulation. Wittenberg answered back to tie it at 35 two minutes later, and then had a chance to go ahead, but after the Gator defense forced a shot clock violation, The Gators then surged ahead for good, needing just three minutes to rattle off a 9-0 run, featuring threes from Zabriski and Sestina, to go in front 45-36 with 11:13 left.
Wittenberg trimmed the gap to 45-41 at the midpoint of the second half, but the Gator defense then clamped down, holding the Tigers scoreless for the next 4:30, while the offense received buckets from Frisina, Sestina, and Macomber to open up a double-digit lead, 51-41, with 4:40 remaining.
The Tigers closed the gap to eight with just over two minutes left, but the Gators proceeded to go 9-for-11 from the foul line over the final 100 seconds to pull away for the win.
While Allegheny clicked offensively, going 11-for-19 from the field and 4-for-8 from downtown, the team's zone defense held the Tiger shooters to just 34 percent, including a 5-for-18 mark from behind the arc.
The Gators totaled 17 assists on 22 baskets, led by three apiece by Macomber and Urso.
Evan Schweitzer and
Chris Koryak shared the team lead with five rebounds apiece, while six different players recorded a steal.
Wittenberg was led on the scoresheet by the tandem of Jaelin Williams and Alex Fultz, who each scored 11 points, while Williams also paced his squad with six assists and seven rebounds.
The Gators will return to action on Tuesday, Dec. 8 for their final game of the semester, as they'll travel to Gambier, Ohio to take on NCAC foe Kenyon beginning at 7:30 p.m.
