MEADVILLE, Pa. -- Heartbreak again struck the Allegheny College men's basketball team on Saturday evening as Geneva College defeated the Gators in an overtime Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) showdown, 72-67.

Against the conference-leading Golden Tornadoes (18-2, 14-1 PAC), the Gators (5-14, 3-11 PAC) appeared ready to shake off a seven-game slump and right the ship. Things looked promising for more than 59 minutes, but Geneva found a way to stun the fans inside the James H. Mullen Jr. Arena.

It was a low-scoring and physical battle, and both teams relied heavily on their half-court offenses. Geneva got out ahead early, but Allegheny pieced together a 16-4 run that turned a six-point deficit into a six-point advantage at 27-21. The Gators were ahead at halftime, 29-26, and maintained the lead for all but a fraction of a second in the second half.

Up 63-60 with 9.5 seconds left in regulation, Allegheny was hit with a five-second violation while attempting to inbound the ball against a swarming full-court press. Trevor Tipton missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer on the ensuing possession, forcing the Golden Tornadoes to foul immediately on the rebound. Isaiah Portis (Medina, Ohio/Norwayne) stepped to the line for a one-and-one with a chance to seal the victory, but his first attempt was off the mark.

Geneva raced down the court, and with an off-balanced shot in front of his team's bench, Tipton, this time, hit the tying 3-point bucket to even the score at 63-all and force overtime.

The Golden Tornadoes took advantage of the sudden momentum swing in the extra period. Geneva only missed one field goal and converted all four shots in overtime. On the other hand, Allegheny only made one field goal in the game's final five minutes.

Inside the Box Score

• Allegheny made 24-of-64 field goals for a shooting percentage of 37.5%.
• Geneva posted similar numbers with 23 makes on 67 attempts (34.3%).
• Both teams were effective from the free-throw line, as Geneva finished 17-of-19 (89.5%) and Allegheny was 14-of-18 (77.8%).
• The Gator defense collected 13 steals on 18 turnovers by the Golden Tornadoes.
• Geneva did a better job crashing the boards, 45-to-39.
• Luke Barker (New Castle, Pa./Struthers (Ohio)) and Andre Wilder (Beaver Falls, Pa./Lincoln Park) each scored 16 points to lead all Gators.
• James Sitter (Erie, Pa./Fairview) scored 12 points and tied Wilder for the team lead with seven rebounds.
• Portis added 11 points, six rebounds, three steals, and one assist.
• Ryan Lang (Sarver, Pa./Knoch) amassed six points with six rebounds.
• Tipton, one of the top scorers in the PAC, was held below his season average with 10 points.
• Geneva received a double-double from Ryan Rachic with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

News and Notes

• Allegheny went into overtime for the third time this season, including a November 10 loss against Lancaster Bible College and a 71-65 win at Thiel College on November 29.
• Two of the last three meetings between Allegheny and Geneva played in Meadville have gone to overtime, including the Gators' 84-79 win over the Golden Tornadoes on November 26, 2019.
• Wilder reached double-digit points for the 14th time in 18 games played this season.
• Barker and Portis both extended their double-digit point streaks to five consecutive games.

Up Next
Allegheny ends its three-game homestand on Wednesday, January 31, when the Gators face Westminster College in a PAC matchup at 8:00 p.m.