WASHINGTON - The Gallaudet University's men's basketball team eked out a 61-60 victory over University of Valley Forge here Saturday in a non-conference game in the Field House on Padden Court.

Gallaudet (8-15) held off a charging Valley Forge (3-14) squad, who outscored the Bison 36-27 in the second half, and had a chance to win the game in the waning seconds.

The Patriots stepped out of bounds with three seconds left to turn the ball over to the Bison. Valley Forge fouled sophomore guard Noah Valencia (Riverside, Calif.), who missed the 1-and-1 attempt at the free throw line. The Patriots' Arthur Wilborn (15 points, 13 rebounds) gathered the defensive rebound and chucked the ball the distance of the court but missed the basket as time expired.

GU celebrated its fifth win at home this season as the Bison turn their attention back to conference play next week.

Valencia finished with 14 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals. Senior forward Andy Cruz (Bronx, N.Y.) chipped in 12 points, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals while sophomore Trace Martin (Shingle Springs, Calif.) was the third Bison in double figures with 10 points.

Gallaudet coach Kevin Kovacs went to his bench, early and often, as he played 11 players who logged seven or more minutes in the game. Freshman Wilford Troup (Snellville, Ga.) scored a career best seven points while juniors Cody Crace (Westfield, Ind.) and Jawaun Jackson (Downey, Calif.) added six points off the bench.

Guard Alex Sanchez led the Patriots with a game-high 23 points and nine rebounds. Wilborn and forward Sean Word scored 15 points while Word completed the double-double with 11 rebounds in the loss.

Martin drained a buzzer-beater three-pointer, right before the end of the first half, as Valencia found Martin on the left side of the arc. Martin threw up an off-balance shot as time expired and sent Gallaudet into the locker room up 34-24.

BISON TRACKS

• GU scored 22 points off 19 Patriot turnovers
• The Bison bench scored 21 points
• GU's largest lead was 14 points, 50-36, midway through the second half (12:42 mark)
• Valley Forge outrebounded Gallaudet by 17, 50-33
• The game featured three lead changes
• Gallaudet turned the ball over only seven times, the lowest total this season
• GU's five team blocks are the second most by the Bison in a game this year
• The Bison only had 10 team fouls, a new season low
• Gallaudet has won four of its last six games

UP NEXT
Gallaudet will travel to Chambersburg, Pa., on Wednesday, Feb. 14, for a North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) South Division game against Wilson College (16-6, 10-3 NEAC) at 6 p.m. The Bison (7-7 NEAC) lost the first meeting with Wilson, 75-61, last month (Jan. 17).