Box Score

GREENVILLE, Pa. (Jan. 15) – Despite playing without injured second-team All-Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) forward Jason Propst, the Waynesburg University men's basketball team snapped a 10-game losing streak to Thiel College on Wednesday night in Greenville. The Yellow Jackets (8-8, 3-4) had to go to overtime to do it, but they were able to pick up their first win over the Tomcats (4-8, 1-5) since 2008 by the final score of 79-76.
 
The game was a tough, back-and-forth affair that saw neither team lead by more than four points at any time during the first half. Thiel scored the first four points of the game, but a three-pointer from sophomore guard B.J. Durham put the visitors up by four (33-29) at halftime.
 
Junior forward Jacob Fleegle knocked down the first basket of period number two to bolster Waynesburg's advantage to 35-29. The Tomcats responded by scoring the next six points over two minutes of play to tie the game at 35-35. The Jackets regained control of the contest and built up multiple seven-point leads, the last of which (56-49) came at the 7:36 mark of the second half.
 
The Cats clawed their way back into the game as regulation time wound down to its conclusion. A pair of free throws from junior guard Byrum Louco gave the visitors a 66-63 edge with just 32 seconds left to play. However, Thiel's Josh Johnson completed an old fashioned three-point play to tie the game at 66-66. Fleegle had a chance to end the contest in regulation time, but a last-second shot missed the mark and the game went to overtime.
 
Thiel put together a slim one-point edge (70-69) with 2:31 showing on the clock. However, Waynesburg responded with a game-deciding seven-to-one run that put the Orange and Black ahead 76-71 with 44 seconds left to play. A pair of free throws from junior Kenny Klase with nine seconds remaining in the contest closed the Jackets' scoring and staked them to a 79-73 advantage. A last-second three-pointer by the 'Cats proved to be too little, too late for the host squad.
 
Four different Jackets scored at least 10 points each to power the victory. Fleegle led the quartet with a game-high 21 points on eight-of-14 shooting. Junior forward Thomas Ellis tacked on 17 points off the bench, while Durham chipped in 11. Klase connected on four-of-five tries from the floor en route to 10 points.
 
Junior forward Tyler Miller started in place of Propst, and yanked down a game-high eight points to go along with four points and three blocks. Waynesburg held a slight 32-to-29 advantage in the team rebounding battle.
 
The Jackets are back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 22, when they travel to PAC-leading Saint Vincent for a battle with the Bearcats. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.