WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Nov. 8) – The Waynesburg University men's basketball team opened the 2022-23 season with a home game against Kenyon. The Yellow Jackets got off to a strong start, but a big run at the beginning of the second half led to a 71-54 win for the Owls.
 
After the two teams traded baskets on their way to a 4-4 score, a pair of layups by junior Bryson Wilt (Oakland, Md. / Southern Garrett) put the Jackets (0-1) ahead 8-4. Kenyon (1-0) countered with a 10-5 run that put the road team ahead 14-13 with just over 12 minutes remaining in the first half.
 
This kicked off a long stretch of back-and-forth play between the two squads and with three minutes remaining until halftime, the score was knotted up at 28-28. However, momentum started to swing towards the visitors with a 7-2 surge that brought about a 35-30 score at the break.
 
Five minutes into the second period, Kenyon still held a five-point edge (43-38). However, a game-changing 21-2 run by the Owls that lasted until there was 8:32 left in the contest put the visitors up 64-60 and firmly in the driver's seat.
 
The Orange and Black cut its deficit down to 17 points on multiple occasions, but couldn't pull any closer as the night came to a close.
 
Graduate student guard Matt Popeck (Washington, Pa. / Washington) led Waynesburg with a team-high 17 points. Junior forward Jansen Knotts (Ridgeley, W.Va. / Frankfort) added nine points on the evening, while Wilt pulled down a squad-best eight rebounds.
 
Waynesburg is off until Wednesday, Nov. 16, when it opens Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play at Chatham. Start time is scheduled for 8 p.m.