PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A dominant second-half effort propelled Davis & Elkins College to a gritty 64-63 victory over Point Park University on Wednesday night at CCAC-Allegheny.

The Senators (8-11, 5-7 MEC) trailed by nine at halftime but stormed back with a 40-point second-half performance to secure the road win. Charleston Ponds led the way with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Nicolas Silva added 14 points and six boards off the bench.

D&E capitalized on its paint presence, scoring 34 points inside while forcing 18 turnovers, leading to 18 points. Ja'Kobe Strozier contributed eight points, five rebounds, and three blocks, helping the Senators control the defensive end late in the game.

Point Park (10-9, 4-8 MEC) was led by Kaden Warner's 23 points, but the Pioneers struggled to hold off the Senators' second-half surge. 

Trailing 33-24 at halftime, the Senators flipped the momentum by attacking the rim and limiting Point Park's perimeter shooting. D&E held the Pioneers to 30 second-half points while connecting on key free throws down the stretch to seal the win. Senior Ben Gilliam, who finished with eight points and four rebounds, stepped to the line with eight seconds to play and calmly knocked down the game-winning free throw after drawing a foul in the final possession.

The victory marks a crucial conference triumph as D&E looks to build momentum heading into the MEC playoffs. Coming into the game, the Senators were in ninth place and just outside of playoff contention. With the victory, they move into the final eighth spot with only one victory separating them from fifth place West Virginia State in a tight field of teams. 

Current MEC Standings

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