The Denison University Big Red shot 60 percent from the field in the second-half, including a 7-for-12 performance from long range, en route to 78-70 come-from-behind victory over Case Western Reserve University on Tuesday night from Livingston Gymnasium in Granville.

The Spartans used an 8-0 run spanning just over 2:30 minutes to build up a 33-24 edge in the opening 20 minutes of play.  Down by eight (37-29), senior Larry Farmer (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) picked Robert Scott's pocket with four seconds left in the half and converted a fast-break layup at the buzzer to trim the margin to 37-31 as the two teams entered the locker room.  Case had the hot hand in the first half shooting 14-of-26 (54 percent) from the field and 6-of-11 (55 percent) from three-point land.

Despite a Denison bucket by sophomore Dimonde Hale (Columbus, Ohio/Northland) to open the second period, Eric Duerr and Reid Anderson each knocked down a basket to rebuild the Spartans' eight-point lead (41-33).  The Big Red started their second-half rally when junior Brett Tiberi (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) drained a three at 16:49 off an assist from classmate Mike Garabedian (La Grange, Ill./Nazareth Academy).  The momentum continued to swing in the home team's favor when a steal by junior point guard Jim Leffew (Vero Beach Fla./Vero Beach) on Case's ensuing possession resulted in a made jumper by junior Marr Mansfield (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville Central).  Mansfield's bucket trimmed the deficit to 41-38 with just over 16 minutes left in regulation.

After a pair of Tim Chung free throws made it a five-point game, Hale answered with back-to-back scores to shrink the margin to 43-42.  Following a Austin Fowler jumper, Farmer drilled a triple from the corner to tie the game at 45-all with 13:50 on the clock.  The senior's clutch three came off a pass from Mansfield.

Tied at 47-47, Farmer gave Denison their first lead since 18:43 of the opening half with a pair of free throws.  Now trailing by four (53-49) following a mini run by the visiting team, Tiberi drained a deep three to make it a one-point affair (53-52) once again.  On DU's next trip down the floor, the junior drove the lane and dropped in a left-handed layup to give the home squad a 54-53 lead with 8:17 on the clock.

Case Western regained their lead on the ensuing possession and maintained if for the majority of the next three minutes.  With the Spartans up 64-62, Tiberi drilled another deep three-pointer to put the Big Red back on top by one.  After Duerr answered with a bucket for the Spartans, the Upper Arlington grad returned down the floor and drained a second-straight three to give the home team a two-point edge (68-66).

Duerr went back down the floor and hit a jumper in the paint to tie the game for a sixth time (68-68).  Coming out of a Case timeout, Tiberi pump faked a three, drove the lane and dished the ball out to a wide open Garabedian who connected on yet another Big Red three-pointer with 2:12 left in the game.

Now ahead by just a point (71-70), Denison increased their lead when Leffew sank a three to put DU up four with 75 seconds on the clock.  Leffew's triple capped a string that saw the Big Red hit four threes in four-straight trips down the floor.  Over the final 21 seconds, Denison converted 4-of-5 attempts from the charity stripe to ice the game and secure their second-straight win of 2010.

DU finished the game 27-of-56 (48 percent) from the floor and 12-of-25 (48 percent) from behind the arc.  The Spartans, who made six treys in the first frame, were just 1-for-12 from long range in the second half.  Case outrebounded Denison 38-27, but committed twice as many turnovers (14-7) which resulted in 19 Big Red points.

Hale led all scorers with 18 points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds  Tiberi knocked down a career-high tying five threes en route to a season-best 17 points, while Farmer chipped in 15 and Garabedian added 12 points and eight boards.

Reid Anderson paced Case with 17 points, while Duerr scored 16.  Tom Summers pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.

Denison improves to 3-2 on the year, while the Spartans fall to 1-3.  The Big Red return to action on Wednesday (Dec. 1) when they host Kenyon College in their North Coast Athletic Conference opener.  Tip-off from Livingston Gymnasium is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.