WOOSTER, Ohio - Host Wooster used a decisive run in the opening stages of the second half to pull away for an 89-60 victory over the Gators in a North Coast Athletic Conference matchup at the Timken Gymnasium.

The Gators (2-14, 2-7 NCAC) led for much of the first half, before the Fighting Scots (11-5, 7-2 NCAC) scored the final eight points of the frame, and opened the second stanza with a pair of decisive runs to pull away. 

Senior Brandon Smith scored a season-high 16 points for the Gators, connecting on seven of 10 attempts from the floor, while freshman Billy Urso scored 14 points, bucketing a team-leading four three-pointers. Senior Evan Schweitzer led Allegheny with six rebounds and four assists.

Trading baskets for the opening six minutes of play, Urso's second trey of the night gave the Gators an 8-6 lead with 14 minutes left in the half, and the visitors would hold on to the advantage for nearly the remainder of the opening stanza.  The Urso trifecta kickstarted an 8-1 Gator run, which was capped off with a pair of Smith buckets to push his team in front 14-7 with 11:30 left.

The Allegheny lead would hover between four and six points over the next few minutes, before the scoring intensified, as eight straight possessions resulted in field goals between the two squads.  An Urso three, a layup from Schweitzer, and a pair of scores in the paint by Smith were countered by four three-pointers from the Fighting Scots, who emerged wth a 33-31 lead with four minutes left in the half.   A Schweitzer bucket at the 2:43 mark pulled the Gators to within 36-33, before the Fighting Scots scored the final eight points of the opening frame to take a 44-33 lead into the intermission.

The Gators shot a blistering 59 percent (14-for-23) in the first half, highlighted by a perfect 7-for-7 showing from Smith.  Though Allegheny ended the opening 20 minutes with one more field goal than the Scots, eight of the hosts 13 field goals came from behind the arc, while the Gators managed just four three-point field goals, with three from Urso.

Allegheny's Conor Macomber opened the second half with a long trifecta to pull the Gators to within eight, 44-36, but Wooster countered with a quick 12-0 run over the next three minutes, bucketing two more threes, to jump up 56-36.

After baskets from Donte Wallette and Antonio Frisina temporarily halted the Wooster surge, the Fighting Scots came back with a 16-2 run to take a commanding 73-42 lead with just under 10 minutes left, and effectively put the game away.  

The Fighting Scots finished the night with a 13-for-29 showing from behind the arc, and shot an even 50 percent overall (29-for-58) for the game.  The Gators shot 42 percent on the evening (22-for-53), with seven three-pointers.  Allegheny shot an impressive 9-for-11 from the foul line, but were doubled up by the Scots, who connected on 18 of 25 freebies.

Wooster was led on the evening by Spencer Williams, who scored a game-high 18 points, while Mitch Balser added 17, going 5-for-6 from behind the arc.

The Gators will return to action on Saturday, January 23rd, hosting NCAC foe Wittenberg for a 1 p.m. Alumni Day contest at the Wise Center.  All Allegheny men's basketball alumni are invited to attend, and they will be recognized at halftime before playing an alumni game following the Gator/Tiger matchup.