The Muhlenberg men's basketball team overcame an 11-point second-half deficit, closing on a 14-3 run to defeat Emmanuel, 77-67, in the consolation game of the WestConn Holiday Classic. 

Junior Liam Gorman finished with career highs of 15 points and 9 rebounds, including 6 points and 5 rebounds in the game-ending run. Sophomore Arinze Achufusi tied Gorman for the team high with 15 points, while sophomore Drew Buck (14 points) and junior Peter Stanton-Shepherd (10) also hit double figures in scoring.

The Mules (6-5) trailed 64-63 before Achufusi's putback of a blocked shot with 2:27 remaining and the shot clock winding down gave them the lead for good. 

On the ensuing possession, Achufusi blocked a pass, and in the scramble for the ball, the Saints (6-6) knocked it out of bounds. Achufusi was fouled and swished both ends of a one-and-one to make it 67-64.

After a pair of Emmanuel free throws cut the lead back down to one, Stanton-Shepherd hit a three from the wing off a pass from Achufusi in the lane. Gorman grabbed the rebound of an Emmanuel miss on the next possession and made both ends of a one-and-one with 54.5 seconds left, extending the lead to 72-66.

Four more free throws by Gorman and one by Stanton-Shepherd sealed the win.

A day after making only six second-half field goals in a loss to New Jersey City, the Mules found their shooting range, going 7-for-12 (58.3 percent) on threes in the second half to tie a season high with 14 three-pointers made. They also held the Saints without a field goal in the final 2:40.

Down seven at halftime, Muhlenberg trailed 53-42 before taking the lead with a 14-2 run that featured threes by Buck, Gorman, and sophomore Jack Woodard as well as driving layups by sophomore Elias Sherman-Murphy and freshman Nathan Comerford.

Woodard finished with 9 points on 3-of-5 three-point shooting, while senior Nate Hoffman (pictured above) was a perfect 3-for-3 from the field for 8 points to go along with a career-high 7 rebounds.