MEADVILLE, Pa. -- Allegheny closed the game on a 25-5 run over the final nine-plus minutes to overcome a 16-point deficit and earn an 86-82 win over Hiram and berth in the upcoming North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Tournament.

The victory guarantees at least a .500 record in 2019-20 for the Gators, who improve to 13-11 with a minimum of two games remaining. In addition to sitting 7-10 in conference play, the Blue & Gold held court at home by posting a 9-4 record at the James H. Mullen, Jr. Arena this year. By defeating Hiram, the Gators snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Terriers, dating back to a 71-67 Allegheny win in Meadville on Dec. 2, 2015.

A layup by Hiram made the margin 77-61 just under the midway point of the second half. A 12-1 run that featured buckets by five different Gators cut the margin to just five points, 78-73, by the 5:00-mark. After a Hiram free throw slowed the spurt, Brian Roberts, Jr. (Copley, Ohio/Copley) scored five-straight points to get Allegheny within one, 79-78, at 1:50. After a turnover and steal by Nijon Kirkman (Cleveland, Ohio/John Hay), Brock Brumfield (Medina, Ohio/Buckeye) gave Allegheny the lead for good with 1:01 on the clock. Roberts, Jr., Kirkman and Jordan Greynolds (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton) each hit a pair of free throws down the stretch and held off a triple by Hiram to secure the 86-82 win and return appearance in the league's championship tournament.

Jordan Rawls (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) recorded his 24th double-double as a Gator, and 10th this season, by tallying 23 points and 12 rebounds one game after overtaking the career scoring lead in program history. Roberts, Jr. added 21 points, seven assists and five rebounds, while Greynolds secured his second career double-double with 20 points plus a game- and career-high 13 rebounds. 

In total, Allegheny dominated the glass, out rebounding Hiram by a 48-33 margin, the largest of the season. After shooting just 38.5 percent (15-of-39) in the first half, the Gators hit on 53.6 percent (15-of-28) in the second half to finish the game at 44.8 percent (30-of-67). Allegheny added 10 more points than Hiram at the free throw line, shooting 19-of-25 compared to 9-of-14.

The Gators will wrap up the 2019-20 regular season at Kenyon on Saturday, Feb. 22. Tip-off in Gambier, Ohio is set for 4 p.m.