WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Jan. 18) – The Waynesburg University men's basketball team hosted Thiel on Wednesday night for what turned into the longest, most thrilling game of the 2022-23 season. The Yellow Jackets led late, but a last-second field goal from the Tomcats sent the game into not one, but two overtimes. By the time the final buzzer sounded, it was Thiel that left town with a 70-67 win.
 
Junior Jake Scheidt (Saxonburg, Pa. / Knoch) got Waynesburg (4-12, 2-10) off to a solid start by tallying his team's first five points and giving the Jackets a 5-2 edge. Thiel (8-7, 7-5) answered with an 18-7 run that allowed it to take control of the contest with a 20-12 advantage.
 
Momentum swung back to the host squad, when it outscored the opposition 12-4 over the next nine minutes. Back-to-back field goals by junior Antone Baker (Maple Heights, Ohio / Maple Heights) and Scheidt tied things up at 24-24. Waynesburg edged ahead 26-24 thanks to another Baker basket that was quickly answered by a Thiel three pointer that made the score 27-26.
 
Junior Jansen Knotts (Ridgeley, W.Va. / Frankfort) gave the Orange and Black the lead back at 28-27, before a pair of Tomcat free throws brought about the halftime score of 29-28.
 
The visitors not only maintained their lead throughout most of the second half, but built it up to 13 points (45-32) with 12:21 showing on the game clock. However, the Jackets weren't willing to give up on the cause and started chipping away at the deficit.
 
With 3:50 left in regulation time, Waynesburg trailed by just three (55-52). Graduate student Matt Popeck (Washington, Pa. / Washington) came up clutch with a three pointer that tied things back up at 55-55 with just under two minutes remaining in the half.
 
Roughly 30 seconds later, Thiel regained the advantage at 57-55. Though Waynesburg couldn't find the mark from the floor, Popeck knocked down one-of-two free throws and the Jackets really cashed in from the foul line on its next possession. Baker drew a foul behind the three-point line and calmly knocked down all three foul shots to put the home team up 59-57 with under 20 seconds left to play.
 
Unfortunately, Thiel managed a steal with just a few seconds to go and was able to convert it into a game-tying layup that sent the contest into the first overtime period.
 
Waynesburg senior Ryan Felberg (Twinsburg, Ohio / Twinsburg) opened the scoring to put his team up 61-59. Thiel answered with the next five points, before Knotts connected on a three pointer that made the tally 64-64 with 1:21 remaining in OT1. Defense ruled over the final 81 seconds of the period and sent the contest into its final five minutes of play.
 
Unfortunately, the Waynesburg offense wasn't able to produce any field goals over the stretch run of the contest, but the Jackets were able to connect on three-of-four foul shots. Unfortunately, that one miss prevented the home team from tying the game at 68-68.
 
With Thiel leading by one point, the visitors produced an insurance basket that brought about the final score of 70-67. Waynesburg missed a potential game-tying trey, but managed to gobble up the offensive board. The Jackets took one last timeout to draw up another attempt from long range, but it too missed the mark.
 
Though the loss was a bitter one to take, there were highlights for Waynesburg, including a 19-point, 16-rebound double-double by Baker. Not only did he tie for the team lead in scoring and set the game high in rebounds, the junior standout logged his third-straight game with a double-double and posted his sixth overall on the season.
 
Knotts tied Baker with 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds. He also swatted a game-high four blocks. Popeck chipped in 14 points, while Scheidt posted nine points, five rebounds and a team-high four assists.
 
The Yellow Jackets will try to shake off Wednesday's disappointment before Saturday, when they host Bethany for the second half of a PAC doubleheader. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.