HAMBURG, N.Y. — Penn College defeated Buffalo State, 88-72, in nonconference men's basketball action on Saturday in the second game of the season-opening Hilbert Tip-Off Tournament. The Wildcats used an 11-0 second-half run to stretch a four-point lead to 15 to break away. The Wildcats improved to 1-1 overall. The Bengals dropped to 0-2 overall.
How it happened: The Wildcats and Bengals battled through the first 15 minutes of the opening half until a
Landon Reeder layup broke a 27-27 tie and sparked a 9-0 run. Reeder added another layup,
Clyde Frasier nailed a 3-pointer and a
Colby Bost steal-and-layup to move ahead 36-27. A Bost three and a two-pointer by Frasier sent the Wildcats into halftime with a 43-30 lead.
The Wildcats built their second-half cushion with an 11-0 run, moving from a 45-41 lead to a 56-41 advantage when
Joe Savage finished a fast-break layup with 13:05 left. Savage supplied much of the offense around that stretch, scoring five consecutive baskets between 14:50 and 10:53 before adding the free throw that made it 61-48. After Buffalo St. cut it to 80-70 with 2:49 remaining, the Wildcats answered with baskets by
Peyton Murphy and
Jay Henry to close out their first win of the season.
Inside the Box: Savage had a career day with 26 points and 13 rebounds to record a double-double. He also dished out four assists. Murphy added 14 points, four rebounds and four assists. Frasier and Henry both finished with 11 points. PCT finished with 54 points in the paint, 22 assists and a 42-36 rebounding edge.
Oryan DeJesus led Buffalo State with 15 points and five rebounds. Broek Ostrom finished with 14 points and Ephraim Strong tallied 10 points.
Up Next: The Wildcats visit Penn State Altoona on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 6 p.m.
