GAMBIER, Ohio (Dec. 20) – The Waynesburg University men's basketball team traveled to Kenyon on Monday seeking a fifth-straight win before taking off for Christmas break. Unfortunately, the host Lords had different ideas and used multiple second-half runs to pull away from the Yellow Jackets for a 68-49 win.
 
Kenyon (2-9) got off to a fast start and built a 13-6 lead 9:07 into the first half. Waynesburg (6-3) rebounded by scoring 12 of the next 17 points to tie the contest at 18-18 with just under seven minutes to play in the opening period.
 
The Lords answered Waynesburg's challenge putting together an 8-0 run that made the score 26-18 with just under four minutes until halftime. The home team stayed ahead of the visiting squad and by the time the players broke for their respective locker rooms, Kenyon held a 31-22 lead.
 
The break seemed to do Waynesburg some good, as the Jackets got off the second half off to a hot start. A quick 6-0 run pulled the Jackets to within three points (31-28) of the opposition. The Orange and Black completed the comeback roughly three minutes later, when sophomore guard Jake Scheidt (Saxonburg, Pa. / Knoch) connected on a layup that knotted the score at 36-36 with 14:22 showing on the game clock.
 
Unfortunately, the Jacket offense went cold from that point on and a 9-0 surge by Kenyon put the host team ahead 45-36. The Jackets never got closer than six points (47-41) to making another comeback, and the Lords were able to string together multiple long scoring runs that put the game well out of reach.
 
Senior guard Matt Popeck (Washington, Pa. / Washington), who earlier in the day was name PAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week, led the Jackets with a game-high 14 points. He completed his first double-double of the season by pulling down a contest-best 10 rebounds.
 
Graduate student forward Nijon Kirkman (Cleveland, Ohio / John Hay) contributed 10 points and six rebounds to the cause. Sophomore guard Bryson Wilt (Oakland, Md. / Southern Garrett) contributed nine points on just four-of-six shooting, while junior guard Ryan Felberg (Twinsburg, Ohio / Twinsburg) went for seven points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
 
Waynesburg will look to forget about the disappointing performance before wrapping up the 2021 portion of its season on Thursday, Dec. 30. The Jackets are scheduled to host Stevenson for a 2 p.m. contest. It will be the squad's final non-Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) contest, before returning to league play on Tuesday, Jan. 4. Waynesburg will carry a 3-0 PAC mark into its road game at Chatham on Jan. 4, 2022.