Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
Phone (716) 673-3100 / Fax (716) 673-3136

CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director

DATE: Thurs., Dec. 8, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Men's basketball

Devils prevail in battle of coaching brothers

BRADFORD, Pa. -- A three-point basket by senior guard Chris Donahue (Olean/Olean) with :26 seconds left pushed Fredonia State past Pitt-Bradford, 58-54, in the sixth renewal of the Moore War.

Senior guard Tim Anderson (Jamestown/Jamestown) had 13 points while junior guard Taha Alassari (Brooklyn/Sweet Home) and senior forward Devin Watkins (Franklinville/Franklinville) added 10 points each for the Blue Devils (3-5), who broke a four-game losing streak and improved head coach Kevin Moore's personal record to 4-2 against his brother, Andy, head coach of the host Panthers (4-4).

In addition to his scoring, Alassari led Fredonia State with 11 rebounds and six assists. In addition, junior forward Kevin Reichlmayr (Rochester/Aquinas Institute) grabbed eight rebounds.

The Blue Devils managed to keep the Panthers from scoring at a prolific pace. They came into the game averaging 87.4 points per game, led by Ryan Race's 27.7. Race was held to 14 points while Rob Copley led the Panthers with 18 points. Dan Thomas added 11.

The Blue Devils led by as many as 11 points in the first half, 15-4, but eventually saw their hosts rally in a see-saw first half. Fredonia State led 29-26 at halftime, traded the lead several times in the second half, and fell behind 48-41 with 8:49 left before making one final, successful push.

Fredonia State caught Pitt-Bradford, 51-51, on a jumper in the paint by Alassari with 3:32 left. The Panthers regained its final two-point lead, 53-51, with 2:23 to go, only to see the Blue Devils tie 53-53 on a layup by Anderson, followed by Donahue's game-winning trey, assisted by Alassari.

The Blue Devils shot well throughout, and won the rebounding battle. The Blue Devils made 22 of 45 shots from the field (48.9 percent) and outrebounded the Panthers, 37-24.

The Blue Devils close out the first semester of the schedule with a home game 8 p.m. Saturday against Penn State Behrend. The Fredonia State women face Rochester Institute of Technology at 6 p.m. Saturday in the first game of the doubleheader.

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