Feb 19, 2020
GETTYSBURG, Pa. – The game started on a high note with senior Nick Antolini (Babylon, N.Y./Babylon) reaching 1,000 career points on the opening bucket, but Dickinson College surged to a double-figure lead by halftime and held off Gettysburg College down the stretch for a 69-60 decision inside Bream Gym Wednesday night.
Top Performers – Gettysburg
- Nick Antolini '20 – 10 points, 4 rebounds
- Avery Close '21 (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville) – 14 points, 13 rebounds, 4 blocks
- Danny Duffey '20 (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Lower Moreland) – 12 points
- Alex Leder '21 (Bethesda, Md./Bulls School) – 11 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists
Top Performers – Dickinson
- Chris Bates – 13 points, 11 rebounds
- Bryce Allen – 13 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals
- Ryan Devine – 12 points, 5 rebounds, 4-6 3FG
- Travis Dobbins – 10 points
How It Happened…
- First Half
- Needing one point to reach 1,000, Antolini took care of business on the opening possession, cutting backdoor and finishing a reverse lay-up 11 seconds into the contest. Dickinson came back with an old-fashioned three-point play by Bates and a deep three-pointer by Devine to jump in front 6-2.
- The Red Devils shot over 53 percent in the opening half and stole in front 17-11 following a three-pointer by Dan Conlan with 14:33 to play. Duffey led a quick comeback by the Bullets, converting a three-point play at the hoop and coming up with a steal and lay-up to cut the margin to one.
- Dobbins poured in six points as part of a 10-0 run by Dickinson. The Red Devils surged in front by 15 (35-20) on a three-pointer by Allen with 6:51 left in the half. The Bullets trimmed the lead to 40-28 heading into the locker room.
- Second Half
- Gettysburg steadily chipped away at the lead as its defense held Dickinson to less than 30-percent shooting in the final 20 minutes. The Bullets cut the deficit down to six (42-36) on a fast-break lay-up by senior Nick Lord (Millersville, Pa./Penn Manor) four minutes into the stanza.
- After falling behind 47-36, Gettysburg rallied with a 14-3 run to tie the game at 50. Leder started the surge with a pull-up jumper on the break and ended it with a driving lay-up. The Red Devils jumped back in front with two free throws, but Leder tied things up again with a lay-up and gave the hosts their first lead at 53-52 with 5:41 to play.
- Allen quickly regained the advantage for Dickinson with a drive to the goal. The hosts cut the deficit down to two twice inside the final 2:16, but each attempt at a rally was thwarted by a deep shot by Devine. Dickinson hit four free throws inside the final 24 seconds to seal the win.
By the Numbers
- Gettysburg finished 26-of-68 (38.2 percent) from the floor, while Dickinson was 25-of-61 (41 percent). The Bullets out-rebounded the Red Devils 43-38.
- Antolini became the 26th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points. He was the first men's or women's player to reach the milestone at home since Cody Kiefer '17 in 2017.
- Closed tied his personal high with 13 rebounds. The junior turned in his fourth double-double of the season.
- Gettysburg and Dickinson combined for 18 blocks in the game. That marks the most combined blocks in a game by two Centennial Conference teams this season. The 11 blocks by the Red Devils were also a conference season high.
Where the Series Stands
Gettysburg leads the 119-year rivalry with Dickinson 119-83.
Next Up
Gettysburg closes the regular season at home against Muhlenberg College (17-7, 10-7 CC) on Saturday at 3 p.m.