Box Score

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. (Feb. 9) – Despite sporting four different players who reached double digits in scoring, the Waynesburg University men's basketball team came up just short of victory at Westminster on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets fought back from a double-digit second-half deficit, but saw their comeback effort fall just short in a 69-66 loss to the Titans.
 
Things started well for Waynesburg (9-15, 4-11), which opened the game on a 9-2 run that was capped by a three-pointer from sophomore forward Jacob Fleegle at the 17:10 mark of the first half. Unfortunately for the road team, its lead was short-lived as the Titans (7-15, 3-11) fired back with a 9-2 surge of their own to tie the game at 11-11 with 15:29 remaining in the first half.
 
Neither team was able to gain control of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) clash until midway through the opening period. With 10:16 showing on the clock, freshman guard B.J. Durham connected on a three-pointer that began an 11-2 surge for the road team that turned a 21-21 tie into a 32-23 advantage for the Jackets.
 
Once again, Westminster had an answer for a Jacket run. The Titans scored the next eight points of the contest to pull within one at 32-31 with just under four minutes to go until halftime. The Jackets stopped the bleeding with a three-pointer by sophomore Kenny Klase, but the home team didn't waste any time in continuing its comeback effort, and thanks to a 5-0 surge, grabbed a 36-35 lead with just over two minutes remaining until the halftime break.
 
The two teams traded baskets as the final seconds of the first period ticked away and when the halftime break got underway, the Titans held a 38-37 edge. Westminster held the lead at the break, despite being out-shot from the field. However, the home team connected on 10-of-14 free throws, while the visitors made just five-of-seven attempts from the stripe.
 
Back-to-back baskets from sophomore forward Jason Propst and Fleegle gave the Jackets an early three-point lead in the second period, but Westminster tied the game up at 43-43 with a three-pointer. The Titans didn't let the offense stop there and were able to string together a series of baskets that put them up 58-47 with 11:17 remaining in the game.
 
Westminster continued to maintain multi-basket leads for most of the remaining minutes of the game and was able to build up advantages as large as 13 points. However, the Jackets weren't ready to concede the game to their hosts. With 6:20 remaining in the contest, Waynesburg took off on an 11-0 run, which included nine points from sophomore point guard Casey Hope, to pull to within two points at 66-64.
 
With 26 seconds left to play, the game was ultimately decided on the free throw line. The Titans connected on three-of-four attempts from the charity stripe, while junior guard E.J. Coleman knocked down both of the Jackets' final tries from the line.
 
Propst led Wayensburg's quartet of double-digit scorers with team highs in points (16) and rebounds (nine). Hope and Fleegle added 12 points each on the day, while Klase chipped in 10 markers.
 
The victorious Titans did a fantastic job of controlling the basketball, which was evident by committing just seven turnovers. Waynesburg, on the other hand, turned the ball over 15 times.
 
The Jackets wrap up the 2012-13 regular season on Wednesday, with a road trip to Latrobe, Pa. to face Saint Vincent. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.