Bellhy's Buzzer Beater Lifts Presidents Past Falcons 66-65
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Junior guard Zach Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) drilled an 18-foot jumper as time expired to give Washington & Jefferson a 66-65 men's basketball victory over Notre Dame (Ohio) on Tuesday evening at Murphy Gymnasium.
The Presidents (3-3) snapped a three-game losing streak and they will open Presidents' Athletic Conference play Saturday at defending regular-season champion Thiel (3:00 pm).
Bellhy bucketed a career-high 26 points on 9-of-17 shooting (3-of-5 three-pointers). He added three rebounds and two steals. Bellhy scored 18 of his points in the second half.
The Falcons (1-3), a provisional member of NCAA Division II, led by 11 points in the first half until the Presidents cut the deficit to 32-26 at halftime.
W&J used a 14-3 run early in the second half to grab its first lead (40-38) in over 20 minutes after a basket by freshman guard Andy Carter (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) at the 13:25 mark. Carter then drilled a three-pointer a minute later to stretch the lead to 45-40.
A triple by Bellhy and two free throws 12 seconds later pushed W&J's lead to 53-46 with 9:23 left; however, the Falcons chipped away at the lead and eventually went back ahead 62-59 after Taylor Rieger's trifecta with 2:20 remaining.
Carter's three-point play with 42 seconds left put W&J back in front 64-63, but Troy Baugh had the answer with a bucket at the 18-second mark. W&J then called a timeout before setting up Bellhy for the game winner.
Carter added 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Presidents, who shot 49 percent overall (24-of-49), including 71 percent (15-of-21) in the second half. Senior guard Uchenna Okocha (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/University School) contributed a career-high 10 points. W&J also held a 32-28 rebounding advantage.
Rieger led three Falcons in double figures with 19 points. Notre Dame shot 45 percent (24-of-53) in the game which featured 15 lead changes and seven ties.
