WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Jan. 10) – The Waynesburg University men's basketball team put together one of its best performances in recent memory when perennial Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) power Bethany came to the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse on Saturday. Five different Yellow Jackets scored in double digits and the Waynesburg defense held the Bison to 31 percent shooting in a 96-64 victory.
The offensive explosion produced the Jackets' (7-7, 3-2) most points since a 116-108 victory Mount Aloysius on Dec. 18, 2010. Saturday's win also featured the widest margin of victory over Bethany (6-8, 1-4) in the 94 recorded years that the two programs have played each other.
Senior wing
Jacob Fleegle got things going for Waynesburg with a game-opening three-pointer. The home team never trailed in the win, but didn't gain firm control of the contest until a 28-4 run turned a slim 13-12 edge into a 41-16 lead with 6:36 left to play in the first half. The Jackets went into halftime leading the Bison 57-31. Waynesburg built up leads as large as 39 points (56-37) over the final 20 minutes of play, and never led by fewer than 26 over period number two.
Senior wing
Thomas Ellis came off the bench to lead Waynesburg's balanced offensive attack with a game-high 17 points on seven-of-nine shooting. Junior guard
B.J. Durham and senior forward
Jason Propst added 14 points each to the winning effort, while Fleegle and senior wing
Kenny Klase notched 13 each against the Bison.
Propst yanked down a game-high eight rebounds, while Durham led all participants in both assists (five) and steals (five). Waynesburg kept the Bison off the glass, out-rebounding the visiting team by a 37-27 margin. The Jacket defense held Bethany to 31.3 percent shooting from the field, while the Orange and Black offense connected on 55 percent of its tries from the floor. Waynesburg was also terrific from the free throw line, knocking down 88 percent (22-of-25) of its foul shots.
The Jackets are back in action on Monday, when they travel to Westminster. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.
