WAYNESBURG, Pa. (March 13) – The Waynesburg University men's basketball team hosted Saint Vincent Saturday night in the opening round of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) men's basketball tournament. The Yellow Jackets looked poised to advance to the quarterfinal round after building a 36-27 halftime lead. Unfortunately, the home team struggled from the field in the second half and was eliminated from the postseason by the final score of 72-58.
 
After falling behind 4-2 in the early portion of the contest, Waynesburg (3-7) battled back to take a 12-4 lead thanks to a 10-0 run that featured four different Jacket scorers. The home team led for the remainder of the first half and took a 36-27 advantage into the locker room at halftime.
 
Waynesburg continued to lead throughout the first 10 minutes of the second period, before Saint Vincent (3-7) grabbed a 49-48 edge with 9:18 remaining in the contest. Freshman Will Helton (Hollidaysburg, Pa. / Bishop Guilfoyle) gave the lead back to the home team with a layup and started a brief period of the two squads trading the lead back-and-forth.
 
The game was ultimately decided over the final 5:33 of play. The Bearcats outscored Waynesburg 21-6 over that stretch and pulled away for the victory.
 
Forward Isaiah Alonzo (Chandler, Arizona / Tri-City Christian Academy) capped a phenomenal junior season by posting a double-double on a game-high 20 points and a contest-best 14 rebounds. He shot eight-of-15 from the floor and knocked down two three-pointers in five attempts.
 
Junior guard Matt Popeck (Washington, Pa. / Washington) added 14 points and eight rebounds on the evening, while freshman Jansen Knotts (Ridgeley, W.Va. / Frankfort) capped an outstanding debut season in Orange and Black with 11 points and five boards.
 
A massive Saint Vincent advantage at the foul line played a major role in the final outcome. The Bearcats connected on 17-of-29 foul shots, while the Jackets converted just three-of-seven tries from the charity stripe. Three Waynesburg players fouled out of the contest, with two more each being called for four personal fouls.