OBERLIN, Ohio -- The Allegheny College men's basketball team battled in the second half of Wednesday's non-conference contest at Oberlin College but couldn't overcome the Yeomen in a 79-69 loss at Philips Gymnasium.

Allegheny (0-2) trailed for the entire first half but found a spark coming out of the locker room after the halftime intermission. Down 35-31, 3-pointers from Isaiah Portis (Medina, Ohio/Norwayne), James Sitter (Erie, Pa./Fairview), and Ryan Lang (Sarver, Pa./Knoch) helped bring the Gators within three points at 45-42. Jayson Perry (Tampa, Fla./Sickles) followed by taking an Oberlin (3-0) turnover coast-to-coast to make it a one-point difference, 45-44.

The Gators took the lead for the first time on their next basket from Lang, and Perry extended the lead to 49-45 with a successful and-one conversion. Perry's hot streak continued when he poured in a 3-pointer that gave Allegheny its largest lead of the night, 52-47, with 12:41 remaining in the half. 

But the Yeomen answered with an 8-0 run of their own, which was capped off by an and-one from Yuuki Okubo. Okubo's free throw gave Oberlin a three-point cushion at 55-52. The lead didn't last long, however. Portis scored five consecutive points in 25 seconds, and the Gators found themselves back on top, 59-56. 

Oberlin evened the score at 59-59 and 61-61 before ending regulation on an 18-8 run to preserve their early undefeated record.

Inside the Box Score

• The Gators shot 43.8% (14-of-32) from the field in the second half, up from just 31.4% (11-of-35) in the first half.
• Both teams finished 33.3% from 3-point range, but Allegheny made two more treys than Oberlin.
• Allegheny committed two fewer turnovers, but Oberlin had the edge on the glass, 45-to-31.
• Perry paced all Gators with 21 points after shooting 75.0% (9-of-12) from the field.
• Portis scored 19 points, followed by Sitter with 11.
• Luke Barker (New Castle, Pa./Struthers (Ohio)) added seven points with five rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
• Lang also had seven points to go along with four rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
• JJ Gray led Oberlin with 20 points, followed by Andrew Gannon with 19 and Okubo with 16.
• Milun Micanovic grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds for the Yeomen.

News and Notes

• Perry set a new single-game career-high with 21 points.
• Perry reached double figures for the third time as a Gator.
• 19 points are the most for Portis in a game since scoring 21 against Waynesburg University on February 18, 2023.
• Barker has started the 2024-25 season by making 14 consecutive free throws.

Up Next
Allegheny opens its Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) schedule on Wednesday, November 20, with a 7:30 p.m. matchup at Thiel College.