MEADVILLE, Pa. – Allegheny outlasted Thiel, 86-75, Wednesday night in a double-overtime barnburner in men's basketball action at the Wise Center.
 
The tough loss dropped the Tomcats to 6-2 on the season, while Allegheny upped its record to 5-4 overall with the win.
 
The hot-shooting Gators led by as many as 17 in the first half but the determined Tomcats methodically chipped away at the formidable deficit – thanks in no small part to a 22-of-25 performance from the free throw line.
 
The contest's high point for Thiel came as regulation drew to a close with the Tomcats on the short end of a 66-64 Allegheny lead. With just 13 seconds remaining, Kamran McCaskill (Carol City, Fla./Miami Beach) found Chace McKinney (Boardman, Ohio/Kennedy Catholic) under the hoop, and he laid the ball in to tie the game at 66-66 and send the game to overtime.
 
After both teams scored just five points in the first extra period, Allegheny went on a 15-4 run in the second overtime to put the game away and seal the win.
 
Seniors Anthony Harvey (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) and AJ Forbes each had 19 points and four rebounds for Thiel. Five total Tomcats scored in double-figures, including Chace McKinney (Boardman, Ohio/Kennedy Catholic) (11), Khari Bess (Waldorf, Md./Maurice J. Mcdonough) (12) and Ladell Trotty (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East) (12).
 
Ryan Stanko tallied a game-high 31 points to lead the Gators. Stanko made his living from behind the three-point line, converting on five of seven opportunities.
 
Thiel returns to action on Sunday, December 30 when they play at Edinboro University. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.