MEADVILLE, Pa.—The Allegheny College men's basketball team overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Chatham University 74-64 Saturday (Nov. 17) on day two of the Greg Richards '08 Memorial Classic.
Jordan Rawls and
Caden Hinckley led the way for Allegheny with 13 points apiece.
The Cougars controlled the pace of the game early on as they amassed a 10-3 lead over the course of the opening five minutes. A traditional three-point play by Hinckley, followed by a
Jordan Greynolds three cut the deficit to just one a minute later. Hinckley would once again hit a shot in the paint as the Gators claimed their first lead of the game at 11-10.
Nijon Kirkman extended the lead to three with a lay-up before Chatham ended the Gators 10-0 run with a three, tying it up.
After trading baskets, the Cougars rattled off a 9-0 run in a three minute span to take a 24-15 lead with just over six minutes to play in the opening half.
Brian Roberts, Jr. converted a lay-up, followed by a
Billy Urso three to cut the lead to four. A pair of
Zach Ecker free-throws brought the lead down to two. Chatham grew that lead to six, 30-24, late in the half, but a Brendon O'Toole jumper in the pain and a pair of
Brendon Urso free-throws cut the lead to 30-28 at the half.
Hinckley and Greynolds had five points apiece in the opening frame. Ecker and Greynolds had four rebounds apiece.
Ecker tied the game at 30 to open the second half, though the Cougars were quick to respond with three straight points. The lead grew to 35-32 before the Gators gained control. Four points from Ecker, followed by a Urso three gave the Gators a 39-37 lead five minutes into the half.
The teams traded baskets before a Hinckley lay-up followed by a quick Roberts, Jr. three gave the Gators four point lead, 46-42. The Allegheny advantage grew to five before a 5-0 Chatham run tied the game at 50 midway through the half.
Tied at 50, the Gators rattled off five straight points, four of which came from Hinckley. A Rawls jumper with 6:38 to go gave the Gators a 59-52 lead. Thirty seconds later,
Billy Urso pushed the lead to 61-51.
Chatham cut the lead back down to five, 61-56, with just over four minutes to play, but threes from Roberts, Jr. and Greynolds sandwiched between a Cougar lay-up gave the Gators a nine point lead once again, 67-58.
In the closing minutes, the Cougars tested the Gators at the charity stripe, but Rawls went six-of-six in the closing 1:18 to secure the 74-64 Gator victory.
Rawls and Hinckley went for 13 points apiece while combing for 13 rebounds. Rawls also had a pair of blocks and two assists while Hinckley had three assists and a block. Roberts, Jr. also finished in double-digits for the second straight game with 10 points, to go alongside three assists. Ecker,
Billy Urso and Greynolds all finished with eight points. Greynolds grabbed six rebounds while Ecker had five.
For the game, the Gators shot 44.1% from the floor, including 55.2% in the second half. The defense of Allegheny limited the Cougars to just a shooting percentage of just 38.9%, while forcing 18 turnovers. The teams were even with 35 rebounds apiece.
Isaiah Brown led Chatham with 22 points while Will Sandherr had 19.
Over the course of the weekend, the Gators were able to raise over $2,000 for the Yolando G. Barco Oncology Institute at the Greg Richards '08 Memorial Classic.
The Gators are back in action Tuesday (Nov. 20) as they travel to Geneva College for a non-conference game.
