MEADVILLE, PA—Carl Holmes scored a career-high 20 points and freshman Jordan Holmes (no relation) chipped in 19 as the Houghton Highlanders overcame a 16-point deficit with eight minutes remaining to win another thriller over the Allegheny Gators, 63-60.
 
After trailing for the majority of the game, the Highlanders exploded in the final minutes.  The team's leading scorer, Dylan Lambert had been held mostly in check all night, scoring only five points until draining a jumper at the 1:45 mark to tie the game, and capping Houghton's 23-4 run by draining the game-winning three-pointer with 55 seconds remaining.   
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 63 | Allegheny – 60   
Records: Houghton: 2-0 | Allegheny: 0-1
Venue: The David V. Wise Center, Allegheny College | Attendance: 663

NOTABLE STATS
>> Houghton shot only 30 percent from the field in the first half before knocking down 47 percent of their shots in the second.
 
>> Allegheny, which hit seven threes in the first half, went cold in the second, hitting only one three-pointer in 10 attempts.
 
>> Foul shooting played a vital role in the game as the Highlanders hit 9-of-11 from the line in the second half (82 percent) while the Gators struggled from the line all night, sinking only 4-of-15 (27 percent) from the charity stripe.
 
>> Carl Holmes shot 7-of-12 from the field and 4-of-5 from the line.  He also added four assists.   Jordan Holmes went 5-for-7 from behind the arch, 4-for-4 from the line, and pulled down six rebounds.
 
>> Lambert finished with 10 points, 11 boards and six assists.
 
COACH'S CORNER
"I'm really proud of our guys for staying connected through adversity.
 
"Allegheny is a very good basketball team.  They are well-coached and had us all out of sorts in the first half.
 
"Everyone has been asking what we said at half-time.  We didn't say much.  Our players did most of the talking.  They knew what we had to do to give ourselves a chance.  We got back to basics, trusted our system, and executed well in the second half.
 
"We have a resilient group of guys.  They believed in each other when no one else in the gym did.  Down 16 with eight minutes to go… our guys had conviction in their eyes during our huddle.
 
"Jordan [Holmes] hit some big shots to keep us at striking distance, but it was our defensive urgency that won us that game.
 
"Carl called a great game as 'coach on the floor.'
 
"Darius made yet again a few effort plays to keep us alive.
 
 "Most importantly, though, we had an awesome bench.  They were up and supporting their teammates no matter what the score.
 
"Great win for the Highlanders.  We cleared another beach.  I'm proud of these guys." –Coach Corky McMullen
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders are back in action again tomorrow afternoon when they take on the Stevenson Mustangs at 1:00 p.m. at Allegheny College.