MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Thiel College men's basketball team opened their season with a road victory 70-62 over the Allegheny Gators Friday night.

Tyreik Burton (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) led the way with a career-high 18 points off the bench on 7 of 13 shooting from the field and three of six from behind the three-point line. Burton also gathered four rebounds.

Luke Kochka (Monroeville, Pa. /Gateway) and Khari Bess (Waldorf, Md./Maurice J. McDonough) each recorded 15 points for the Tomcats. Bess led the Tomcats with six rebounds while Kochka led the Tomcats with five assists. Clandell Cetoute (Wellington, Fla./Wellington) notched 10 points and five rebounds.

The Tomcats got up early in the first half and didn't look back. As a team, the Tomcats outshot (42.9-38.2) and outrebounded (42-40) the Gators. The Tomcats also knocked down six three-pointers as a team compared to none by the Gators.

Chris Milon led the Gators with 14 points and eight rebounds.

The Tomcats will open their home schedule on Wednesday, Nov. 18 when they host the Penn State-Behrend Lions. The game is slated for a 7 p.m. tipoff.