SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – A key offensive rebound and a steal by Scott Mason in the final minute of regulation helped Wittenberg survive an inspired upset bid by Allegheny, as the Tigers protected their home court with a 67-63 victory, Saturday, at Pam Evans Arena.
Dialing distance keyed the victory for the second-winningest program in the history of NCAA. Although Allegheny (4-4, 0-2 NCAC) held Wittenberg to 35.6% shooting for the game, the Tigers were 12-of-26 three-point range, including several big knockdowns in the final minutes of the second half. Conversely, the Gators had an outstanding team performance hampered by a poor showing from beyond the arc, as the team hit on just 20% (5-of-24) of its looks.
Trailing 50-42 midway through the second frame, the Gators quickly cut the deficit to three behind three straight baskets, including a triple by sophomore David DiBernardi. The Tigers stretched the advantage back to seven with six minutes on the clock, although DiBernardi and Devone McLeod sparked an 8-1 run over the next three minutes that left the Gators trailing, 60-59, with 3:22 left to play.
After a nice defensive stop, Allegheny had a chance to take its first lead since early after the opening tip, but a shot clock violation gave the ball back to Wittenberg (5-2, 1-1 NCAC). The Gators, relying on defensive pressure to force a turnover, sent the Tigers to the foul line down the stretch, and the home squad made good by burying 7-of-8 in the final two minutes.
Facing a 62-59 deficit with just over one minute left, a great driving take by Chris Milon once again sliced Wittenberg's lead to a single point. The Gators forced a miss at the other end of the floor, but Masin hauled down a rebound on the weak side while drawing a foul on the put-back attempt. Masin sank the first, but couldn't connect on the second. With less than 40 seconds remaining, McLeod was stripped by Masin as he drove into the lane, and Wittenberg sealed the tension-filled win at the charity stripe.
McLeod struggled from the floor, but still finished with 15 points and a game-best five assists. For the second consecutive game, Milon scored a career-high by dropping in 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting. Clark Tritto chipped in 11 points and a game-high eight boards while scoring in double figures for the second straight game.
The Gators outscored the Tigers, 37-34, in the second half, and absolutely dominated the paint. While the Tigers used a sizzling performance from deep to carry their attack in the first half – the team connected on seven of its first 11 three-point attempts – the Tigers forced seven turnovers in the second half and made them count by scoring 15 points off the errors.