Oberlin, Ohio – Oberlin College men's basketball shot nearly 60 percent from the floor to hand the Allegheny College Gators a 79-56 defeat in Philips Gymnasium.
The 23-point victory earns the Yeomen a season split with the Gators and it marks the largest margin of victory over a North Coast Athletic Conference opponent.
Four players finished in double figures to help guide head coach
Isaiah Cavaco's squad to their greatest conference win of the season. Sophomore
Jack Poyle nearly registered a double-double with a team-high 13 points while tying a career-high with nine rebounds. Classmate
Nathan Cohen tallied 10 points to accompany his four rebounds, two assists and team-high two steals. Senior
Austin Little and junior
Matt Walker both struck for 12 points against the Gators. Walker shot a stunning 6-of-7 (85.7%) from the field, while Little collected his 12 points off the bench on 5-of-7 shooting, 2-of-4 from 3-point range.
Junior center
Randy Ollie was also a menace on the glass as he hauled in a game-high 11 boards, while adding eight points in the paint and three assists.
After exchanging the lead early in the first half, the Yeomen turned up the offensive pressure and intensity to take control. Leading, 19-18, with 10:18 on the clock, the Yeomen snapped off a commanding 26-11 run to close the first half as the Yeomen took a 45-29 advantage into the locker room.
With the Gators trailing considerably, the Yeomen cruised in the second half, dabbling with a 20-point lead for the entire second stanza.
Allegheny managed to cut the Oberlin advantage to 17, 71-54, with 3:37 remaining in the game, but it was too little too late. In the final 3:30, a pair of layups from Poyle and
Zach Meyers, combined with a pair of Ollie free throws and a fast-break bucket from Little helped the Yeomen mount an 8-2 run to comfortably drop the Gators, 79-56.
The Yeomen move to 9-13 overall and 5-10 in the NCAC, marking the most program victories since 1991-92.
The Yeomen will return to the court to celebrate Valentine's Day on Saturday, February 14, 2015, as they play host to the Terriers of Hiram College. Tip off from Philips Gymnasium is slated for 3 p.m.
