WAYNEBURG, Pa. (Jan. 22) – Waynesburg University men's basketball coach Mark Christner has done a lot over his six years as the leader of the Yellow Jackets. Not only was he named 2014 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Coach of the Year, but he guided the team from the bottom of the conference rankings to last year's PAC title game in just half a decade.
 
However, one accomplishment has eluded Christner since taking over the program prior to the 2010-11 season: beat Thomas More. Coming into Wednesday night's conference showdown with the Saints, who have the number-two spot in the league rankings, Christner sported an 0-11 record against the night's opposition.
 
Five-plus years of frustration finally came to an end for the leader of the Jackets, as Waynesburg pulled out a thrilling 83-80 overtime victory over the Saints. The win also ended a 17-game losing streak for the Jackets against their conference rivals from Crestview Hills, Kentucky. The victory ran Waynesburg's current winning streak to three games overall.
 
Waynesburg's (5-12, 5-5) first task was surviving an offensive barrage from the Saints (10-7, 7-3), which saw the visiting team shoot a scintillating 71 percent from the field in the first half. That effort included a 10-of-15 showing from beyond the three-point range. The Jackets didn't wither under the intense pressure and trailed by just eight points (44-36) at halftime.
 
The Waynesburg defense was finally able to slow the Saints down once period number two got started. Thomas More scored four of the first six points after halftime, before the Jackets managed to cut their deficit down to four points (48-44) after just less than five points of play.
 
A few minutes later, Waynesburg finally broke through and took its first lead of the night. Trailing 52-46 with 13:14 showing on the game clock, the Jackets embarked on a 9-0 run that concluded with a D.J. Ritchie three-pointer. The trey gave the Orange and Black a 55-52 edge midway through the half.
 
An old-fashioned three-point play by Thomas More tied the game back up at 55-55, but another Waynesburg run gave the home team its biggest lead of the day. Senior guard B.J. Durham, sophomore wing Jon Knab and freshman wing Dylan O'Hara combined for an 8-0 surge that made the score 63-55 with nine minutes left to play.
 
Unfortunately, the lead didn't last, and with just under a minute showing on the scoreboard, Thomas More was clinging to a 72-69 lead. Luckily, fortune decided to shine on the home team, as O'Hara not only knocked down a circus shot from the right elbow, but calmly converted the ensuing free throw that came from a Thomas More foul on the field goal.
 
With the scored tied 72-72, Thomas More looked poised to regain the lead at the free throw line with 18 seconds left in the game. The Jackets got another lucky break, as the Saints were unable to convert either of the foul shots. Waynesburg got two shots at winning the game in regulation, but were unable to convert, forcing a third-straight overtime game between the two programs.
 
Thomas More opened the scoring in the extra period with a free throw 1:38 into overtime. A pair of three-pointers by Durham looked like the possible clinchers for the game, but the Saints rallied with three-straight baskets that made the score 80-78 in favor of the visitors.
 
Ritchie knocked down perhaps the biggest shot of his time in Waynesburg with two seconds showing on the clock. After taking control of the ball at the top of the key, Ritchie head faked an opponent to clear up space for an open three-pointer that the lefty canned to put his team up 81-80.
 
An offensive foul by the Saints allowed Durham to connect on two free throws that gave his team a pair of crucial insurance points. Thomas More had one last chance to force a second overtime, but sophomore wing Jon Knab intercepted the inbound pass to end the game and set off a joyous celebration from the Jacket bench.
 
Durham was the backbone of the Waynesburg offense in the win, as he poured in a game-high 29 points, 18 of which came on six three-pointers. Ritchie and Knab added 13 points each to the winning effort. Ritchie added a team-high seven rebounds to his day, while Knab and senior forward Nate Labishak each contributed a game-high five assists against the Saints.
 
Waynesburg will try to carry over the energy from Saturday's big win to Wednesday's road game at Westminster. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.