Much like the first meeting between the two schools, a 59-61 Kenyon win on December 2, it was the Allegheny (8-10, 4-6 North Coast Athletic Conference) frontcourt that provided the strength for the squad. George Raftis (Pittsburgh, Pa./Sewickley Academy) and Ryan Hollihan (Saxonburg, Pa./Knoch) each scored 12 points to lead the team, while Ben Torsney (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown) and Doug Price (East Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids) scored 11 and eight, respectively.
Kenyon (7-12, 3-7 NCAC) took over the lead early in the game, and led by one with 13:15 to play in the opening period before the Gators used a 16-2 run to push ahead by 13 points. The Gators kept their lead for the remainder of the half, despite a 9-0 run by Kenyon that cut a 13-point lead to four with three minutes left in the period. A lay-in by Hollihan gave the Gators some breathing room, before Jim Arce drained a three-pointer with five ticks left on the clock, sending the Blue and Gold into the locker room with a three-point, 32-29 lead.
Allegheny scored first to start the second half when Torsney picked up an offensive rebound and laid the ball in, giving the hosts a five-point lead. An 8-0 run by Kenyon gave the visitors a three-point lead with three and a half minutes gone in the second stanza. The Gators rebounded with a 9-0 run of their own, forging ahead by six points four minutes later. The Lords, not to be out-done, opened a 17-5 run to push ahead by six points with just under seven minutes to play in the contest.
The Gators fought back, chipping away at the lead, and scored seven straight points to give the hosts a three-point lead when Raftis made one of two free throw attempts with 3:19 left on the clock. Four straight points by Kenyon, capped by a Brian Yelvington jumper with 1:16 remaining gave the Lords a one-point lead. With the shot clock down to its final counts on the next possession, Babe took a pass from Torsney and drilled the three-point basket in front of the Gator bench, giving the hosts a two-point lead. On Kenyon’s next trip down, Yelvington’s three-point attempt went awry, before Jimmy Savage (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) hit the ensuing free throws, giving the hosts a two-possession lead. Savage then picked off the inbounds pass, as a Larry Sharp (North Wales, Ohio/Germantown Academy) free throw iced the game for the hosts.
Hollihan pulled down 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season, while Raftis grabbed six rebounds, four on the offensive end. Savage dished out a team-high four assists, with Babe, Price and Mike Sefscik (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) each giving out three helpers. Hollihan blocked three shots, giving him 27 on the season and 66 for his career, moving into fifth in the career record books.
Kenyon put a quartet of players in double figures, led by Korey Haddox’s 15 points. Arce poured in 12 points, all on three-point baskets, while Dave Knapke and Jolson each scored 10. Yelvington, Kenyon’s leading scorer coming into the game, was held to nine points. Jolson dished out a game-high five assists, while Haddox picked up four steals.
The Gators next take to the road, traveling to their next three games, facing off against Wooster on Wednesday night before going to Ohio Wesleyan on February 3 and Oberlin on February 7.