WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Jan. 23) – The Waynesburg University men's basketball team traveled north to Pittsburgh for a road Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) showdown with Chatham. The Yellow Jackets avenged a loss from earlier this season by downing the Cougars 85-76 on their home court.
 
Waynesburg (5-13, 4-6) racked up its most points of the season in the victory and improved to 5-0 on the year when it scores at least 80 points. The Yellow Jackets were led offensively by junior wing Brennan Smith (New Cumberland, W.Va. / Oak Glen), who went off for a game-high 27 points on an efficient nine-for-12 shooting effort. He was even better from three-point range, where he knocked down six-of-eight from long range. Smith also tied for the game lead with nine rebounds.
 
After 3:10 of play, the two teams were tied up at 6-6. Junior guard Frank Bozicevic (Monroeville, Pa. / Gateway) broke up the tie and was followed by senior wing Clay Carper (Avon, Ohio / Lutheran West) connecting on two foul shots to make the score 10-6. Waynesburg never trailed for the remainder of the opening period and led by as many as 12 points before heading into the locker room with a 42-37 advantage.
 
Chatham (11-7, 5-5) controlled the first 10 minutes of the second half and led 63-60 with 8:48 showing on the game clock. An old fashioned three-point play from sophomore guard Matt Popeck (Washington, Pa. / Washington) tied the score at 63-63 and set up the visiting team to regain control over the opposition.
 
Another three-point play less than a minute later, this one from junior wing Cam Auld (North Huntingdon, Pa. / Norwin), put the visitors back ahead 66-63. A three-pointer from Smith and a two-point field goal from senior wing Nate Gearhart (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon) set the Jackets up with a 71-65 lead with just under six minutes left in regulation.
 
Chatham pulled to within two points of the Jackets, but couldn't overcome the Orange and Black, which posted 12 of the next 20 points. Leading 83-73 with just over two minutes to play, the Jackets were able to close out the victory.
 
"I loved our fight and response," said Waynesburg head coach Mark Christner. "This was a great win for us tonight."
 
Along with Smith's monster effort, Popeck chipped in 17 points, nine of which came at the foul line. Bozicevic added 12 points and a team-high four assists to the winning effort, while Gearhart yanked down eight rebounds.
 
Waynesburg picked up the win despite 14 three-pointer from Chatham. That winning equation included a 41-31 rebounding advantage and a solid 54.7 percent showing from the floor. The victors also drilled nine-of-18 three-point tries.
 
The Yellow Jackets return to the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse on Saturday for a home PAC game against Westminster. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.