BETHANY, W.Va. -- Behind a season-high 20 points from second-year point guard Jess Bickart (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley), Allegheny College women's basketball secured a 67-60 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) victory on the road against Bethany College on Wednesday evening.

The win could prove to be a crucial one as the regular season winds down. The Gators (8-9, 7-5 PAC) not only split the two-game series with Bethany (9-8, 7-5 PAC), but Allegheny and Bethany now sit in a three-way tie for fourth place in the PAC standings along with Grove City College (8-9, 7-5 PAC).

Allegheny opened the game quickly by scoring the game's first eight points. The Gators led the entire first half, but the Bison responded in the third quarter. Down 35-28, Bethany went on an 8-0 run of its own to take its only lead of the night, 36-35. The score was tied on two occasions at 38-38 in the third quarter and 45-all early in the fourth.

Bickart, who led the Gators in nearly every category against the Bison, broke the last tie with a 3-pointer. The trey was the spark Allegheny needed, as the Gators scored 11 of the following 12 points to take a 59-49 lead midway through the fourth. Bethany was able to whittle the deficit down to three points, 63-60, with only 32.3 seconds to play thanks to a Bella Skobel and-one, but Bickart made all four free throws inside the final 20 seconds to seal the victory.

Inside the Box Score

• Allegheny opened the game by shooting 64.3% (9-of-14) in the first quarter and finished 43.3% (26-of-60) for the contest.
• Bethany shot 38.6% (22-of-57) from the field.
• Both teams took 15 foul shots, with the Gators making 12 and the Bison converting 11.
• The Bison had a slight advantage in rebounds (32-to-31), but the Gators had more steals (14-to-5) and blocks (7-to-1).
• Bickart finished 7-of-10 (70.0%) overall and was a perfect 4-for-4 (100%) from the line.
• Bickart led all Gators with 20 points, eight rebounds, and seven steals and tied for the team lead with four assists.
• Emily Lauer (Knox, Pa./Keystone) and Sarah Santicola (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area) added 15 and 12 points, respectively.
• Sofia Genareo (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern Central) had a busy night with nine points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one blocked shot.
• Three Bison scored a team-high 12 points, while Kate Botti logged a double-double with 10 rebounds.

News and Notes

• Allegheny has won three of its last four meetings with Bethany.
• The Gators and Bison split the two-game series this winter, with each team winning on the road.
• Allegheny has won four of its last five games and six of its last eight.
• Bickart's 20 points are just two shy of her career-high of 22, which came in a 68-67 win over Bethany on January 18, 2023.

Up Next
Allegheny begins a three-game homestand on Wednesday, January 24, when the Gators host Thiel College at 6:00 p.m.