MEADVILLE, Pa. – Malquan Pullium (Erie, PA/Strong Vincent) had a team-high 16 points and drained the game-winning basket with 2:18 left to play in the second half to lead Penn State Behrend past Allegheny 56-55 in non-conference action on Saturday.
Pullium went 6-for-8 from the floor, while grabbing six rebounds and making four steals to help the Lions (2-2) edge the Gators (3-2) for their second win of the season. Andy Niland (Fairview, PA/Fairview) tallied 13 points and Connor McLaughlin (Ashtabula, OH/Edgewood) came off the bench for nine points.
Jamison Nee led all scorers and Allegheny with 23 points on 5-for-8 shooting from behind the arc.
In an even game that saw eight ties and nine lead changes, Behrend got the final say thanks to Pullium in the final minutes to hand the Gators their second loss.
The Lions used back-to-back three-pointers by McLaughlin and Matt Colpoys (Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep) to take their biggest lead of the game at 50-44 with seven minutes remaining. Allegheny went on a 7-0 run to regain a 51-50 advantage off a triple from Zack Pateras.
Dan Wanker (Pittsburgh, PA/South Park) and Pullium each made a pair from the charity stripe in a matter of five seconds to take a 54-51 lead. Nee gave the Gators their fourth one-point lead of the half with four straight points at 55-54.
Out of a Behrend timeout, Pullium went in for the layup for one-point lead that would last for the final 2:18 of the game. Neither team would score again despite three attempts by Allegheny to nail a three and the Lions with four attempts from the free-throw line.
In the first half with 9:01 left before intermission, Behrend held a 16-11 lead but an 11-3 run from the Gators made it 22-19 in favor of the hosts. A Wanker layup combined with a Pullium triple tied the game at 24-all with 3:47 on the clock.
The two teams exchanged three-pointers and Pullium recorded two consecutive layups for a four-point lead at halftime for the Lions.
Behrend shot 41.9 percent from the floor, while Allegheny held a 38-31 edge on the boards.
The Lions return to action on Wednesday at D'Youville. Game time is 8 p.m.
