GREENVILLE, Pa. (January 18) – The Waynesburg University men's basketball team dropped a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) matchup at Thiel 77-52 on Saturday afternoon.
Both teams came the first meeting between the Yellow Jackets and the Tomcats with four PAC wins. Following the contest, Waynesburg stands at 6-10, 4-7 PAC while Thiel is 6-9, 5-6 PAC.
The Tomcats built an early 13-4 edge over the first seven-plus minutes before the Jackets answered with a 7-2 run, five points coming from
PJ Suggs (Twinsburg, Ohio / Twinsburg), to pull within four (15-11) with 11 minutes left in the first half.
From the 10:26 mark until 2:40 left in the first half, Thiel embarked on a 24-3 run to turn that four-point edge into a 39-14 lead. The Jackets managed just one field goal in that eight-minute stretch while Thiel shot 60 percent from the field with no turnovers. Thiel led 41-16 at halftime.
Korey Mitchum (Medford, N.Y. / William Floyd) scored seven points in a two-minute stretch from 15:27 to 13:28 in the second half during a Waynesburg 8-5 spurt. A three-point play by
Aiden Blake (Parkersburg, W.Va. / Parkersburg South) started an 14-6 Waynesburg run that included two
Scott Bilovus (Imperial, Pa. / West Allegheny) threes and three foul shots after being fouled on another three-point attempt. At the end of Bilovus' flurry, the Jackets trailed 65-43 with eight minutes to play, the closest margin of the second half.
Despite the tough opening half, Waynesburg match Thiel point-for-point in the second half as both teams had 36 points over the final 20 minutes.
Bilovus led the Jackets with 12 points, all in the second half. Mitchum had 11 points and three rebounds. Suggs finished with eight points and three blocks.
Antone Baker (Maple Heights, Ohio / Maple Heights) was Waynesburg's leading rebounder with 11 boards.
The Jackets made one more three-pointer than Thiel (5-4) and equaled the Tomcats with 15 free throws made. Waynesburg held a 24-20 edge in bench scoring.
Waynesburg takes on Bethany in West Virginia on Wednesday.
