GRANVILLE, Ohio – Host Denison shot 55 percent from the field and connected on 11 three-pointers to defeat the Gators 75-59 in a North Coast Athletic Conference matchup at the Livingston Gymnasium.

The Big Red (8-7, 3-5 NCAC) broke open what was a seven-point game at halftime with an 18-4 run over the opening six minutes of the second frame and held off the Gators (2-13, 2-6 NCAC) down the stretch.

Evan Zabriski led the Gators with 13 points, and was one of three players to score in double figures, as Andrew Sestina and Brandon Smith each scored 10.  The Gators' Chris Koryak shared game-high honors with seven rebounds, as Allegheny held a 36-28 advantage on the glass.  The Gators also turned in a strong 8-for-11 showing from the free throw line, but were hampered by just a 5-for-21 mark from behind the arc, and by 19 turnovers that led to 25 Denison points.

Denison came out of the gates on fire, opening up a 17-7 lead five minutes into play.  The Gators quickly countered, as a Billy Urso three-pointer, followed by a jumper from Evan Schweitzer, closed the gap to 17-12 at the 13-minute mark. Sestina then scored five points in a 50-second span to pull the visitors even with just under eight minutes left in the half.

The Big Red would score five unanswered, before a Donte Wallette bucket with 4:15 left closed the Gators to within three, 22-19.  Denison then looked to close the half with the momentum, using a 7-0 run to take a 29-19 advantage with 30 seconds left, before Zabriski ended the opening frame with a long three-pointer with two second left to send the game into the intermission with the Big Red up 29-22.

A three-pointer on the opening possession of the second half pushed the Denison lead to 10, and ignited a Big Red offense that would score on seven straight trips down the court.  The surge was capped off with a pair of three-pointers to close an 18-4 run and put the Big Red in front 47-26 with 15 minutes remaining in regulation.  The lead would eventually swell to 54-31 after the Big Red connected on their fourth trey of the half with 10:45 left.

The 23-point deficit proved too much for the Gators to overcome, as the Denison lead wouldn't shrink below 17 points until the final 90 seconds of play, when Conor Macomber cashed in on a conventional three-point play and Smith connected on a pair of baskets to close out the game's scoring with 40 seconds left.

Over the final frame, Denison shot 59 percent from the floor (16-for-27), and connected on seven of their 11 three-pointers.  The Big Red ended the game with a 55 percent mark from the field, compared to 41 percent by the Gators.   The Allegheny defense recorded a season-high 10 steals, led by three apiece from Koryak and Sestina.

Denison was led on the scoresheet by Jeff Speelman, who scored a game-high 28 points, including four three-pointers.  Garrett Collier added 11 points for the Big Red, while teammate Darius White scored nine points with a game-high seven assists.

The Gators will return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 20, traveling to Wooster for a 7:30 p.m. tip.