FREDONIA, N.Y. -- The Allegheny College men's basketball team led by one at the halftime break, but the Fredonia State Blue Devils used a strong second-half performance to defeat the Gators in the 2023-24 season opener, 112-97, on Wednesday night.

Both teams displayed their scoring prowess in what turned out to be the highest-scoring game since the 2005-06 season, with a combined 206 points. Last season, 97 points would have been enough to win any of Allegheny's 30 games, but the Gators (0-1) were simply unable to slow down Malik Jemison and the Fredonia State (1-0) offense. 

Fredonia finished 67.7% (42-of-62) from the field and 66.7% (12-of-18) from 3-point range. Jemison was the spark that got the red-hot Blue Devils firing on all cylinders, as the junior finished 11-of-13 (84.6%), resulting in a game-high 31 points, 20 of which came during the second half.

Trailing 12-5 early in the first half, the Gators went on a 14-6 run that included five consecutive points from Andre Wilder (Beaver Falls, Pa./Lincoln Park) to regain the lead, 19-18. Less than a minute later, James Sitter (Erie, Pa./Fairview) completed an and-one to push the advantage to four points, 24-20. Allegheny led by as many as seven points, and the two sides would trade buckets from there. Wilder evened the score at 47-all, and Ryan Lang (Sarver, Pa./Knoch) scored Allegheny's next five points, putting the team up 52-51 at halftime.

Alas, the Blue Devils scored first to open the second half and never relinquished the lead, thanks mainly to Jemison's can't-miss shooting night.

Inside the Box Score

• Allegheny shot 57.4% (31-of-54) from the floor and 45.8% (11-of-24) from 3-point range.
• The Gators had the advantage from the foul line by making 24-of-33 free throws (72.7%).
• Allegheny also had a plus-six rebound margin and a game-high 25 boards.
• Six players scored in double figures for the Gators, led by Lang with 20 points.
• Five different Gators made multiple 3-point field goals.
• Wilder and Preston Turk (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock) both logged 15 points.
• In 29 minutes off the bench, Sitter recorded 14 points with a game-leading six rebounds.
• Fredonia State made nearly 80% of its shots in the second half and missed only one 3-pointer in the last 20 minutes.
• Jemison led all players with 31 points and eight assists.

News and Notes

• The Gators faced the Blue Devils in the season-opener for the third consecutive year.
• Despite the loss, Allegheny still leads the all-time series vs. Fredonia State, 4-2.
• 97 points are the most scored by Allegheny in a loss since the Gators dropped a 102-97 decision to Westminster College on December 6, 2006.
• 206 combined points are the most in an Allegheny men's basketball game since February 1, 2006, when the Gators and the College of Wooster scored 209 points.
• Lang reached 20 points in a game for the eighth time in his career.
• Sitter, who transferred to Allegheny after spending his freshman season at PennWest Edinboro, scored the first points of his collegiate career against the Blue Devils.
• Mike Noonan (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) netted 11 points, the second-most he's had in a game as a Gator.

Up Next
Allegheny returns to Western New York for the first round of the Hawks Against Hunger Tip-Off Tournament, hosted by Hilbert College, on Friday, November 10. The Gators open the weekend tournament against Lancaster Bible College.