WHEELING, W.Va. — No. 8 seed Davis & Elkins outlasted No. 9 seed Point Park, 75-73, in a tightly contested first-round game of the Mountain East Conference Men's Basketball Tournament on Wednesday night at WesBanco Arena.

The Senators (10-19, 6-14 MEC) survived a back-and-forth battle that featured 13 ties and 15 lead changes, pulling away late in the second half to advance in the conference tournament.

Dontrell Jenkins led Davis & Elkins with 19 points, knocking down four 3-pointers while adding four assists. Matthew Gray followed with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Vegas Evans posted a strong all-around performance with 12 points, six rebounds and three assists.

Davis & Elkins shot 45.3 percent from the field and connected on 11-of-27 attempts from beyond the arc, helping offset a narrow free-throw margin.

Point Park (8-19, 5-15 MEC) was led by Aidan Anderson, who finished with a game-high 27 points and 12 rebounds. Jaylen Stewart added 10 points and five boards for the Pioneers.

The Senators trailed 37-36 at halftime before using a strong offensive push in the second half, shooting 45.7 percent from the floor and hitting six 3-pointers in the final 20 minutes.

Jeremiah Whitmore provided a key spark off the bench with seven points, including a clutch 3-pointer midway through the second half that helped Davis & Elkins regain the lead during a crucial stretch.

Malachi Hampton controlled the glass for the Senators with 13 rebounds, helping D&E finish with a 41-39 edge on the boards.

Davis & Elkins held on in the closing minutes to secure the two-point victory and advance in the tournament.

The Senators will face top-seeded West Liberty in the MEC Men's Basketball Quarterfinals on Friday, March 6. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at WesBanco Arena.