Box Score
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Mitch Eslick was one of three players who scored a game-high 17 points for Wartburg, but it was his four free throws and sixth rebound of the game that clinched an 83-79 victory over Allegheny at the Land of Magic Classic in Daytona Beach, Florida on Tuesday.
Jordan Sathoff recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Kelly McCarville also posted 17 to help the Knights (6-4) hand the Gators (4-4) their second straight loss by five or less points. Allegheny fell to Thiel 84-82 on December 9.
George Raftis paced the Gators with 17 points and seven boards. Devon McLeod came through in the second half, scoring 14 of his 16 points in the final 20.
With a small 39-35 edge at halftime, Wartburg pulled out to an 11-point lead on a triple by Mitchell Murphy and Cole Danielson at 52-41 with 13:47 left to play.
Slow to the start from outside shooting in the first half with only three from behind the arc, the Gators picked it up in the second with nine triples to stay in the game. Allegheny clawed back to get within four points over the next three minutes. Seth Eisner knocked down two triples and James Ness tallied four points to make it 58-54.
At the 5:53 mark, a McLeod three-pointer made it 67-64, the closest Allegheny got so far in the half. Charlie Jaicks drained a three-pointer to help the Gators take the first lead of the half at 70-69.
Danielson followed with the answer to give Wartburg back the lead at 72-70.
Jaicks drained another triple to make it a two-point game in the final 1:21. The Gators got the stop and then got called for a foul on their next possession to send Sathoff to the line for two good free-throws. After a Gator timeout, Henry Heeter knocks in the three off an assist from Jaicks at 79-78 with 19.6 seconds remaining.
Off the inbounds pass, McLeod was called for the foul and Eslick was given two from the charity stripe, knocking in both. On the next possession, Allegheny drew the foul and McLeod had a one-and-one opportunity. He made the first and missed the second, but Eslick came up with the rebound and was immediately fouled. He sank two from the line 2.6 seconds on the clock and the desperation shot by Devinney hit the glass for the final margin, 83-79.
Down 23-17 in the first half, Allegheny used a 7-0 run to take a one-point lead. Ness completed the unconventional three-point play, followed by two buckets from Raftis at the 8:21 mark. The Knights responded with a 12-4 run to make it 35-28.
Donte Briscoe’s layup with 30 seconds showing cut the lead to 37-35.
With his 17 points, Raftis moves into 17th on the all-time scoring list with 1,063 points. Devinney is now ninth in career three-pointers with 117, thanks to his two this afternoon.
The Gators return to action tomorrow against Carroll. Game time is 4 p.m.