MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny women's basketball team picked up a 76-66 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) home victory against Hiram Wednesday (Jan. 21).
 
The Gators built an early lead before the Terriers pulled within one at 8-7. Isabella Antonacci (Indiana, Pa./Indiana Area) then scored five straight points to give the Gators a 13-7 lead midway through the opening quarter. In the final minutes, the Terriers brought the lead back down to one as the Gators held a 17-16 advantage heading into the second.
 
The teams continued to go back-and-forth in the second quarter, exchanging leads. Knotted at 25, the Terriers hit a three to take a 28-25 lead at the halfway point. The lead reached five points before the Gators battled back. Antonacci tied the game up at 33 before an Ava Kobus (Pittsburgh, Pa./Norwin) free-throw gave the Gators a 34-33 lead. In the final seconds, Antonacci found Kobus on a long inbounds pass. Kobus drove down and hit a lay-up while drawing a foul. She converted the attempt to give the Gators a 37-33 halftime lead.
 
Kobus led the team with 11 first-half points. Sarah Santicola (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area) had 10 points and five rebounds while Antonacci had nine points. The Gators shot 47.1% (16-of-34) from the floor in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Quick baskets by Kobus and Santicola gave the Gators a 42-36 lead. After the Terriers scored four straight, Ashlan Price (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) and Jess Bickart (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley) hit back-to-back threes as their lead reached 48-40. The Allegheny advantage grew to as much as 11 points in the frame as they led 54-48 going into the final quarter.
 
The Gators strung together a 12-4 run to start the fourth as their lead reached 14 points, 66-52, with just over five minutes left. The Gators held the Terriers at-bay the rest of the way as they collected the home PAC victory.
 
Inside the Box

• Kobus led the Gators with a season-high 21 points to go with six rebounds and two assists.
• Santicola recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. She also had six assists and blocked five shots.
• Antonacci ended the game with 16 points, 12 assists and six rebounds.
• Bickart produced nine points and four rebounds.
• Price had seven points while Eyra Co (Manila, Philippines/Pike Christian Academy (Ohio)) rounded out the scoring with six points.
• The Gators shot 47.7% (31-of-65) from the floor.

News and Notes

• Their first meeting in the PAC after both programs were in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), Allegheny is now 40-10 all-time against Hiram.
• Santicola recorded her sixth double-double of the season. 

Up Next
The Gators are back on the road Saturday (Jan. 24) when they travel to Washington and Jefferson.