WALLA WALLA, Wash. (Nov. 17) – Friday night's season opener for the Waynesburg University men's basketball team was unlike any in recent program history. Not only did the Yellow Jackets fly to the Pacific Northwest to tip off their schedule, but they did so against the number-one team in the country and a returning Division III semifinalist.
 
Waynesburg squared off with Whitman College and fell 113-74 to the host Blues. The game was played as part of the Best Western Tip-Off Challenge.
 
"Whitman's pressures and style made us play at a pace that was not sustainable for us over the course of 40 minutes," said Waynesburg head coach Mark Christner. "We did some positive things, so we'll focus on those."
 
Though it came in a loss, Waynesburg (0-1) freshman Matt Popeck made a big statement against the most elite competition he will see this season. The first-year guard poured in a game-high 23 points on an efficient nine-of-13 shooting from the floor. He also went a perfect four-for-four from three-point range.
 
Another of the Jackets' young backcourt members, sophomore Frank Bozicevic, produced a solid night for the Orange and Black. Bozicevic chipped in 14 points and five rebounds while playing a team-high 27 minutes off the bench.
 
Senior wing Kendall Paige pulled down a team-high seven rebounds to go along with six points. Junior Nate Gearhart came off the bench to score nine points, all thanks to a three-for-six effort from three-point range.
 
The Jackets put together numbers in several key statistical areas that would have likely led to victory against many of this year's opponents. They shot 50 percent from the floor (30-of-60) and 48 percent from three-point range (11-of-23), while also pulling down 38 rebounds, which was just above last year's average of 35 boards per contest.
 
Waynesburg plays one more game in Washington before heading back home this weekend. The Yellow Jackets face Whitworth, another team routinely found in the Division III national top 25 rankings, at 9 p.m. EST (6 p.m. PST).
 
"We'll refocus quickly as we have another tough, skilled opponent tomorrow night," Christner said. "We wish Whitman well as they move forward in their year."