TIFFIN -- There's the roar of the crowd, then there's the roar of a Seiberling Gymnasium-OAC Tournament crowd. 

Buoyed by a boisterous student section, the Heidelberg University Men's Basketball team scored 60 second-half points en route to an 89-79 win over Capital University in the quarterfinals of the Ohio Athletic Conference tournament. 

The Student Princes have beaten the Comets in the first round of the tournament in each of the past three seasons -- and have won seven straight over Capital.

After a woeful first half, Tre Watkins came alive in the second half, using four 3-pointers to help Heidelberg rally from a 12-point deficit at halftime. He ended with a team-high 21 points. 

All five starters finished in double figures for Heidelberg, which trailed by as many as 15 early in the second half. Isaiah Young had 18 points and Zane Leitwein had 17 -- including three colossal 3-pointers. 

The first half belonged to Capital, and specifically McKane Finkenbine. Finkenbine hit four 3-pointers, including several from well beyond the arc. The Comets held HU to a dreadful 11-for-34 from the floor in the first half. 

Down 47-32 with 17:43 in the second half, Watkins hit a pull-up trey from the wing that set the comeback in motion. He had 11 points in a game-tying 23-8 run that included three 'Berg steals. Tied at 55, HU missed two free throws and a put-back chance that would have given the hosts the lead. Instead, the Comets went on a miniature 4-0 run and threatened to regain the momentum. 

Leitwein buried identical 3-pointers from the corner in front of his bench on consecutive possessions that knotted the game at 61. After Capital missed a bunny, Watkins hit an in-your-eye triple from the opposite corner, giving HU its first lead since the 18:30 mark of the first half. 

Success from the perimeter opened up the paint for Young, Markell Johnson-Nichols, Eric Panning and Carter Pleiman. Heidelberg made six straight shots from the floor in a 17-4 run capped by a physical layup from Panning, who finished with 10 points. Pleiman had 11 and Johnson-Nichols added eight off the bench. 

Fending off Capital's desperate attempts to crawl closer, Heidelberg led by as many as 13 down the stretch. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Panning's 10 points and 12 rebounds was his 20th season double-double … Heidelberg outrebounded Capital 37-33 … After shooting 2-12 from three in the first, HU went 6-8 in the second … Heidelberg's 60 second-half points were the most since posting 68 vs. Baldwin Wallace last year (11/30/22) … Capital lead 73.3% of the game (29:19 minutes)

UP NEXT
For the third straight season, the men will face Mount Union in the OAC Semifinals. Thursday's tipoff with the No. 2-seed Purple Raiders is set for 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online, in advance of the game by visiting www.bit.ly/oac-athletics-tickets