Westminster Uses Big Second Half Run To Defeat W&J
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – Westminster used an 11-0 run midway through the second half to knock off Washington & Jefferson 73-60 in PAC men’s basketball action on Wednesday evening at Buzz Ridl Gymnasium.
The Titans (5-15, 4-8 PAC) snapped a 10-game losing streak to the Presidents and defeated W&J (6-14, 2-9 PAC) for the first time in New Wilmington since 2006.
Washington & Jefferson fired out to a 22-15 lead 10 minutes into the game after a jumper by freshman forward Mitch Locher (Pittsburgh, Pa./Avonworth). Locher then drilled a three-pointer at the 5:44 mark to keep W&J ahead 27-23, but the Presidents missed eight of their final nine shots of the half and Westminster took a 33-29 lead into the break.
W&J scored the first four points of the second half; however, the Titans led for the remainder of the contest. The Presidents trailed 46-45 with 14:33 remaining, but an 11-0 Titan spurt over the next four minutes proved to be the difference. Anthony Thomas had seven points for Westminster to fuel the run. The Titans led by as many as 17 points (71-54) in the closing minutes.
Westminster hit 10-of-25 three-point attempts and received 22 points and 11 rebounds from Ben Donlow. Thomas and Doug Smith both contributed 14 points for the Titans, who shot 54 percent in the second half and out-rebounded W&J overall by a 39-38 margin.
Freshman guard Andy Carter (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) scored a team-high 13 points for the Presidents. Locher made 5-of-8 shots and finished with 11 points and eight rebounds, while junior guard Zach Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry), the PAC’s leading scorer, was held to 10 points.
The Presidents, who shot 40 percent (25-opf-62) travel to West Virginia on Saturday for a 4:00 pm tip with the Bethany Bison. BC dropped a 68-57 decision at Thomas More Wednesday evening.
