MEADVILLE, Pa. – Missed opportunities from three-point range by Allegheny turned into easy baskets in the paint on the other end, and Wittenberg held on for an 81-66 victory on Saturday behind an overpowering first-half.
The Gators outscored the Tigers 41-34 in the second stanza, but it wasn't enough to overcome a commanding Wittenberg lead. Wittenberg (2-3, 1-0 NCAC) orchestrated a 24-4 advantage on points in the paint through the first 20 minutes and never allowed the Gators to inch closer than 13 down the stretch. Alex Brant paced all scorers with 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting while front-court mate Clayton Black converted 9-of-11 en route to 18 points.
Trailing 6-5 following a three in the corner by senior Seth Eisner, Allegheny (3-4, 1-1) missed four of its next five shots while the Tigers cashed in on the opposite end to quickly expand their lead. Wittenberg, which shot 56% from the floor in the opening half, capitalized on a struggling offensive output for the Gators, who managed to sink just 32% (8-of-25) of their attempts. A lot of Allegheny's success early in the campaign has been predicated on its ability to knock down the three, and a 2-of-11 start from beyond the arc hampered the team's ability to stay in the battle.
A 47-25 halftime lead grew to 27 points after the Tigers' first two possessions of the second half. Turnovers by the Gator offense resulted in a two-handed dunk for Black while Chris Sullivan, who entered the weekend as the team's leading scorer, drilled his third three of the day.
Amid the disappointing result, the early-season NCAC clash turned into a great teaching moment for the Blue and Gold. The effort of the coaching staff and players never wavered as Allegheny continued working to close the gap. A 7-0 run for the Gators with seven minutes left in regulation pulled Allegheny within 13 while showcasing the type of play head coach Jim Driggs is hoping to see his squad replicate for an entire game. Donte Briscoe ignited the run with a pair of free throws and a steal in the open court that led to a fast-break lay-up for sophomore Kyle Murphy. On the ensuing inbounds play, Briscoe stole the ball and laid in another hoop while absorbing the contact. The added free throw made the score 68-55.
Unfortunately, that was close as Allegheny would get as Wittenberg matched the Gators on the offensive end en route to the 15-point win. Freshman Ryan Stanko led Allegheny with 15 points, while Briscoe scored 14 and rookie D'Andre Corbin added 11. Freshman Bobby Theiss manufactured his second solid game in a row and finished with eight points and five rebounds on 4-of-6 shooting. Briscoe continued to showcase his athletic prowess on the defensive end with a block and a game-best four steals.