MEADVILLE, Pa. -- For the second time this season, the Allegheny College men's basketball team took down the top team in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) standings, as the Gators toppled Westminster College, 93-84, on Wednesday night.

Allegheny (9-6, 7-3 PAC) handed the Titans (10-5, 8-2 PAC) just their second conference loss of the season, which dropped Westminster into a two-way tie with Washington and Jefferson College for first place. With the win, the Gators - who are still undefeated in the James H. Mullen, Jr. Arena - avenged their PAC-opening loss to the Titans way back on November 16.

Despite committing more than twice as many turnovers, the Gators made up for it with their most efficient shooting performance of the season. Allegheny finished with season-bests in field-goal percentage (54.8%, 34-of-62) and 3-point percentage (50.0%, 14-of-28). 

All five AC starters finished with double-digit points, as the starting five accounted for 86 of the team's 93 points. Junior forward Andre Wilder (Beaver Falls, Pa./Lincoln Park) made 12-of-17 field goals and paced all Gators with a game-high 28 points.

Two Gators flirted with triple-double territory. Senior forward Caden Hinckley (Boise, Idaho/Mt. Lebanon (Pa.)) produced 13 points and a career-high 19 rebounds with seven assists, three steals, and two blocks. Second-year guard Luke Barker (New Castle, Pa./Struthers (Ohio)) logged 18 points with nine rebounds and a game-best eight assists.

Allegheny used a 14-6 run across the last four minutes of the first half to take a 51-44 lead into the halftime intermission. Although the Titans came within one point of the Blue and Gold, 53-52, at the 15:40 mark of the second half, AC pushed its lead to as many as 13 points, 82-69, with under three minutes to go. Westminster's persistent press and frantic defense caused several headaches and forced the Gators to cough up the ball three times in the last 30 seconds, but it was simply too little, too late to mount a comeback.

Inside the Box Score

• Both teams made 34 field goals, but the Gators converted at a higher rate, 54.8%-to-43.0%.
• Allegheny was 14-of-28 (50.0%) from 3-point distance, whereas the Titans made just 4-of-20 treys (20.0%).
• AC finished with a plus-11 rebound margin and collected 44 total rebounds.
• The Titans managed to force 22 turnovers and scored 23 points off turnovers.
• Allegheny and Westminster each finished with five double-digit scorers.
• Wilder led all scorers with 28 points.
• Hinckley posted a 13-point, 19-rebound double-double.
• Barker added a game-high eight dimes to go along with 18 points.
• Ryan Lang (Sarver, Pa./Knoch) netted 17 points, 15 of which came from 3-point range.
• Preston Turk (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock) added 10 points.
• Andrew Clark led Westminster in points (19) and rebounds (7).

News and Notes

• Allegheny improved to 9-6 overall and already surpassed last year's win total with 10 games left on the schedule.
• The Gators now own wins over both first-place teams in the PAC in Westminster and Washington and Jefferson, who are tied with identical 8-2 conference records.
• AC reached the 90-point plateau for the fifth time in 2022-23 thanks to a season-high 54.8 field-goal percentage against the Titans.
• Hinckley sits one block shy of tying the program's all-time record held by Garret Daggett (121).
• Hinckley also trails Daggett, who is fifth all-time in career rebounds with 669, by just 10.
• Wilder tied season-highs for points (28) and field goals made (12).
• Barker's eight assists are a new single-game career-high.

Up Next
On Saturday, January 14, the Gators will travel to Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, for a 3:00 p.m. conference showdown against the Waynesburg University Yellow Jackets.