WASHINGTON - In a fairly even home opener for Gallaudet University the Bison matched up well against Lehman College in a non-conference men's basketball game here Saturday on Padden Court in the Field House.

Gallaudet held an eight-point lead in the first half and only trailed by two, 34-32, at the half before the visiting Lightning outscored the Bison, 42-30, in the second half en route to a 76-62 win.

Gallaudet (0-5) and Lehman (4-2) had exact same numbers when it came to 3-pointers (five each), points off turnovers (20 points each) and very similar numbers to field goals (27-25 in favor of Lehman) and bench points (25-23 in favor of Lehman). 

A difference in the second half was the field goal percentage for the Lightning, who made 15 of 26 shots (57.7 percent) while the Bison made 10 of 30 shots (33.3 percent). Lehman also made 11 of 13 shots from the free-throw line during the final 20 minutes of play.

Lehman forward Kai Parris scored 20 of his game-high 31 points in the second half.

GU had three players in double figures led by senior forward Blessed Mbogo (Silver Spring, Md.) with 14 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Senior center Brandon Chung (Kahului, Hawaii) and first-year guard Jory Valencia (Riverside, Calif.) scored 10 points each. 

Gallaudet's first-year trio of Alex Ortman (Norway, Mich.), Wyatt Carlson (Hubertus, Wis.) and Nabhi Abbushi Jr. (Fairfield, Calif.) combined to score 23 points off the bench for the buff and blue. Ortman netted nine points, Carlson chipped in eight and Abbushi Jr. tallied six. 

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Gallaudet will begin United East conference play on Tuesday, Nov. 26, at 7 p.m. against St. Mary's College of Maryland (2-3) at home in the Field House.