Dec 29, 2017 3 min read

If you prefer low-scoring, defensive-minded, drain-the-shot-clock basketball, then the opening game of Defiance College’s Purple and Gold Tournament wasn’t your kind of game.

Matt Popeck led five Waynesburg players in double figures with 26 points Friday night and the Yellow Jackets’ Frank Bozicevic made a game-winning layup with five seconds remaining in a wild 127-125 victory over Greenville.

The 127 points is one shy of Waynesburg’s single-game scoring record.

The Yellow Jackets (5-5) scored 73 first-half points and held a 16-point lead at halftime. They almost let the game slip away because they committed 31 turnovers and Greenville (5-5) made 23 three-point field goals. The Panthers scored 68 points in the second half.

Greenville, which averages 123 points per game, tied the score at 125-125 by making two free throws with 16 seconds remaining, but Bozicevic made a driving layup to put Waynesburg back in the lead. Greenville had a chance for a tying or game-winning basket but a steal by Bozicevic in the Greenville frontcourt ended the game.

“Greenville’s system is so unique, and it played it well tonight, so to come out on top says an awful lot about the growth of our group,” Waynesburg coach Mark Christner said. “Greenville wants to shoot 60 three’s and force 30 turnovers every game, so it’s pretty particular. They got a lot of what they wanted to do, but we made one more play.”

In addition to his 26 points, Popeck had seven assists, six rebounds and three steals. Shane Johnson came off the bench to score 23 points for Waynesburg, Marcus Wallace had 18 points on 7 of 8 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds, Jon Knab scored 16 and Bozicevic 12. Knab had nine rebounds.

Greenville, which shot 38 percent, put six players in double figures led by Marvin Bateman’s 23 points

Wells 94, Wash & Jeff 55: Macho DeJesus scored 19 points and led four Wells players in double figures as the Express defeated Washington & Jefferson 94-55 in the opening round of the Case Western Bill Sudek Holiday Tournament in Cleveland.

Wells (2-7) shot 53 percent and made three-point field goals. The Express led 52-21 at halftime over the cold-shooting Presidents, who made only 28 percent from the field and 47 percent from the free-throw line.

Rich Ross scored 16 points and Zach D’Arpino also had 16. D’Arpino made five three-pointers, doubling his season output from behind the arc. Tyree Fisher scored 11 points for Wells.

Nicholas Campalong was the leading scorer for W&J (1-8) with 10 points.

Women’s result

Wash & Jeff 73, Millsaps 61: Mia Woytovich scored 13 of her game-high 18 points in the first half as Washington & Jefferson defeated Millsaps 73-61 in Nashville, Tenn.

W&J (9-1) bounced back from its first loss of the season to forge a 22-14 lead after the first quarter. Millsaps (3-8) pulled to within 55-50 after three quarters but was held to only 11 points in the pivotal fourth quarter.

Point guard Amirah Moore scored 13 of her 17 points in the second half to keep W&J in the lead. Moore was 11-for-11 at the free-throw line over the final two quarters. She also ended the game with five assists.

Lauren Gilbert scored 13 points and Alie Seto had nine points and nine rebounds for W&J.

The Presidents will play Notre Dame (Md.) at 4 p.m. today.