WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Hosting Morrisville State College on Saturday in United East action, the Penn College men's basketball team won, 78-72, to improve to 3-11 overall and 3-4 in the conference. Morrisville is 5-9, 2-5.
 
How it happened: A pair of foul shots by Gavin Barrett gave Penn College a five-point lead at 10-5 with 14:40 left in the first half, and after Morrisville tied the score at 10, the Wildcats used a 10-point run, fueled by a pair of 3-point baskets and layup from James Ross, for a 20-10 lead with 12:11 remaining. Another trey by Ross hiked the margin to 12 at 25-13 and Penn College expanded its lead to 14 on a layup by Rees Watkins with 2:52 in the half, which ended with the Wildcats on top, 34-24.
 
Morrisville fought back after the intermission and forged ahead, 50-49, with 9:11 showing on the clock. From then on, there were five ties — at 53, 55, 57, 59 and 66 — and no more than three points separated the teams until a layup by Barrett put Penn College back on top by five at 71-66 with 1:08 remaining. During the final minute, Barrett foul shots allowed the Wildcats to go out in front by seven, before winning by six. For the game, Penn College outscored Morrisville 42-12 in the paint.
 
Inside the box: Ross finished with 22 points to lead four Wildcat players scoring in double figures and Barrett scored 17. Chris Coyne led Penn College with nine rebounds and Barrett handed out nine assists.
 
Tron Smith led the Mustangs with a game-high 25 points.
 
Up next: Penn College hosts Penn State Berks in UE play at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.