WASHINGTON – Gallaudet University men's basketball team lost thriller 84-79 overtime to Penn-St.-Berks as GU battled back from being down 17 points in the second half and forced overtime here on the Padden Court in the Field House on Black History Month night.

Gallaudet (2-19, 2-11 United East) entered the game looking to pick up its third win of the season and grab a key conference win over Penn St.-Berks (6-14, 5-8 United East). GU led by at least 10 points for the fourth time in the first half. First-year guard Brandon Washington (Citronelle, Ala.) scored five points within 16 seconds to climb the 10 points lead, 25-15, at the 7:34 mark. Senior center Brandon Chung (Kahului, Hawaii) made a jump shot to stay the comfortable lead with the score of 36-25 with less than three minutes until the half. Penn St.-Berks responded with an 11-0 run to finish the first half with a score of 36-36 into the locker room.

In the second half, Penn St.-Berks made six shots from beyond the 3-point arc in the first 12 minutes. Those 3-pointers helped the Nittany Lions, who went on a 30-13 run to take a 17-point lead, 66-49, with 7:55 left in regulation. The Bison didn't quit and stayed together and made a comeback with the support of first-year guard Jory Valencia (Riverside, Calif.) who scored nine points in the last seven minutes. Gallaudet went on to score 10 straight points to force overtime. 

The Nittany Lions took the Bison's foul trouble into the overtime period and made six free throws to help win the game. Valencia's four points in overtime was not enough for GU to win. 

Gallaudet had some chances at the free-throw line but missed a season-high 11 free throws. The Bison went 9 for 17 (52.9 percent) at the free-throw line in the second half where a make here or there could've been the difference.

GU had five different players in double digits led by Valencia who had first career double-double with career-high totals for points (19) and rebounds (12). Valencia passed four assists and three steals.Senior forward Blessed Mbogo (Silver Spring, Md.) added 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Chung chipped in 15 points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Malosi Viena (Waipahu, Hawaii) added 12 points and made five steals. Washington finished the game with a career-high 12 points and five rebounds and passed four assists.

The Nittany Lions had four players in double figures led by Andre Ballard's double-double of game-high 25 points and 11 rebounds.

BISON TRACKS

• Gallaudet scored 52 of its 79 points in the paint
• GU scored 35 points off 26 turnovers made by Penn St.-Berks
• The Bison had a season-high 26 free throw attempts
• GU led for nearly 19 minutes in the game
• The Bison grabbed a season-high 48 rebounds
• GU Athletics recognized Andrew Foster '54 on Black History Month night with special Andrew Foster t-shirts handed out before and during the game. Plus, slides were projected on the jumbotron about Andrew Foster, first deaf black Gallaudet graduate
• Gallaudet's Center of Black Deaf Studies students Enow Otto Jr. and Davina Mayor gave presentation about Andrew Foster at halftime

UP NEXT
Gallaudet will complete its final home game this Saturday, Feb 8, at 3 p.m. against Cairn University (10-12, 7-6 United East) in the Field House on Senior Day.  The Highlanders won the previous meeting with GU, 89-73, last month (Jan. 11).