WAYNESBURG, Pa. (February 22) – The Waynesburg University men's basketball team closed its 2024-25 season with a 66-51 setback to Thiel at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse on Saturday.

The Yellow Jackets honored their seniors pregame and started an all-senior or graduate lineup. Waynesburg finishes the season at 8-17 and 5-15 in Presidents' Athletic Conference play. Thiel wraps up at 9-16, 8-12 PAC. 

Thiel scored the game's first eight points and raced out to a 22-6 lead through the first eight-plus minutes of action. From that point until the end of regulation, Waynesburg outscored the Tomcats 45-44.

Antone Baker (Maple Heights, Ohio / Maple Heights) sparked the Jackets out of their early funk with a steal and slam dunk. Baker scored three-straight Waynesburg baskets after the early deficit to kickstart the comeback effort. Late in the half, a dunk by PJ Suggs (Twinsburg, Ohio / Twinsburg) and a lay-in by Baker brought the margin to 12 (31-19). Thiel sank a three-pointer in the final minute to lead 36-21 at the half.

After the Jackets trailed by as many as 20 points (45-25) early in the second half, Jalen Goins (Morgantown, W.Va. / Morgantown) drained three jumpers, two of them treys, in a 12-4 run that was capped by Suggs slam dunk. The spurt brought the Jackets within 12 (49-37) with 10:55 left in regulation.

Baker added two more baskets and a third Goins three slimmed the Waynesburg deficit to seven (51-44) with eight minutes to play.

However the Jackets managed just two field goals the rest of the game and Thiel went 8-for-8 at the foul line over the final five minutes to clinch the season-ending win.

Baker paced Waynesburg for the final time with 14 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Goins had 11 points and five rebounds. Suggs and Jaylen Davis (Cleveland Heights, Ohio / Cleveland Heights) each had eight points. 

The Jackets had a 20-8 edge in bench scoring and a 12-4 advantage in fast break points.