WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Jan. 3) – The Waynesburg University men's basketball team opened the unofficial second half of the 2022-23 season by hosting Grove City for a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) contest on Tuesday. The two rivals battled through 40 minutes of regulation and five minutes of overtime, before the Wolverines came out on top of a 74-71 final score.
 
The contest was the first to reach extra time for either squad this season.
 
The Yellow Jackets (3-8, 1-6) got off to a fast start by tallying the first six points of the night thanks to a field goal from senior Ryan Felberg (Twinsburg, Ohio / Twinsburg) and a pair of baskets from graduate student Matt Popeck (Washington, Pa. / Washington). Grove City (6-6, 4-3) responded with a 6-0 run of its own to tie the score.
 
Momentum swung back to the Orange and Black, which fired off the next six points to make the score 12-6. Scheidt, junior Bryson Wilt (Oakland, Md. / Southern Garrett) and junior Jansen Knotts (Ridgeley, W.Va. / Frankfort) all contributed to the surge.
 
Waynesburg maintained its lead throughout the remainder of the half and a layup by junior Antone Baker (Maple Heights, Ohio / Maple Heights) made the score 35-27 when the two squads broke for their respective locker rooms.
 
The Jackets maintained their lead for the first 11:07 of play in the second period, before Grove City tied the score at 52-52. Waynesburg fired back with five unanswered points to move back ahead at 57-52. A 7-2 stretch for the Wolverines tied things back up at 59-59.
 
With just 32 seconds remaining in regulation, the visitors jumped ahead 66-64 thanks to an old-fashioned three-point play. With 12 seconds left, Popeck gave his team renewed hope with a field goal that knotted the score at 66-66. Grove City nearly ended the game in regulation, but a block by Baker with one second left sent the contest into overtime.
 
The Wolverines took the early lead in extra time with four-straight points. A basket by Baker and a pair of Wilt free throws tied the score at 70-70 after a grueling 48:18 of play. Unfortunately for the home team, the visitors were able to grab victory by scoring four of the final five points on the night.
 
Though it didn't lead to victory, Popeck tallied a game-high 20 points on the night. Baker logged a double-double on 15 points and a contest-best 13 rebounds. Scheidt helped out with 14 points, six rebounds and a game-high four assists.
 
Waynesburg is back in action on Thursday, Jan. 5, when it makes a road trip to Franciscan for a PAC showdown with the Barons. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.