LA PLUME, Pa. – Penn College snapped a six-game slide and picked up its first United East men's basketball victory with an 80-77 victory at Keystone on Wednesday evening. The Wildcats improved to 1-2 in the conference and 2-12 overall while the Giants dropped to 1-3 UEC, 3-12 overall.

how it happened: The Wildcats poured in 48 second-half points to erase a 10-point halftime deficit and secure the victory. Peyton Murphy's three to start the second half ignited an 18-7 run by the Wildcats to grab a 50-49 lead with 15 minutes left in the game.  Murphy scored eight points while Landon Reeder and Octavio Alexander scored four points and Jay Henry added a layup in the run.

Keystone responded with a run of their own to knot the game at 57 with 11 minutes to go, but another timely Murphy long-range basket stalled the run and mount a 13-1 run to help the Wildcats gain their largest lead of the night (70-61) capped by a Cydae Joseph-Davis bucket with 6:20 to go which provided enough of a cushion for the Wildcats to stay ahead for good.
 
Inside the box: Murphy was all over the floor as he turned in a season-high 17 points and eight rebounds with four assists, three steals and a block in the victory. Alexander finished with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting and dished out a team-high seven assists. Jay Henry (12), Owen Newcomer (10) and Landon Reeder (10) all finished in double-digits to lead the Wildcats offense.

Penn College's defense racked up nine steals and eight blocks to hold the Giants to 36% shooting (27-72). The Wildcats shot 49% (33-67) and outscored the Giants in the paint, 50-28.

Up next: Penn College returns home to host Wilson College on Saturday at 1 p.m.