Nov 30, 2019 4 min read

The Washington & Jefferson men’s basketball team used a second-half surge to cut a double-digit deficit to only three points in the final minutes, but visiting Mount St. Joseph held on for a 64-57 win Saturday afternoon at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.

The loss dropped W&J’s record to 5-2 and ended the Presidents’ two-game winning streak.

Mount St. Joseph (2-5) used first-half runs of 9-0 and 13-0 to lead by 12 at halftime, and the Lions extended their lead to a game-high 14 points (45-31) with the first basket of the second half.

The Presidents limited the Lions to 21 points in the second half but MSJ still led 57-46 with five minutes remaining. The Presidents put on one final push and an offensive rebound and basket by A.J. Blue cut Mount St. Joseph’s lead to 60-57 with 1:53 remaining but that was as close as W&J could get.

Thomas Brady led a balanced attack for Mount St. Joseph with 16 points. Devin Young followed with 11 points and Tanner Clos had 10.

W&J’s Primo Zini scored a season-high 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Okikiola Agbale finished with 13 points.

Oberlin 80, Waynesburg 55: Oberlin used a 17-4 run in the middle of the second half to pull away and defeat visiting Waynesburg 80-55, keeping the Yellow Jackets winless.

Oberlin (5-2) led by only 49-42 when it started its pivotal stretch and pushed its advantage to 66-46.

Oberlin held a big advantage on the boards, outrebounding Waynesburg by 11, and sank 24 of 27 free throws.

Joshua Friedkin scored a game-high 22 points for Oberlin. He was 13-for-13 at the free-throw line. Andre Campbell followed with 11 points.

Isaiah Alonzo and Brennan Smith each scored 14 points for Waynesburg (0-6). The Yellow Jackets, who trailed 39-32 at halftime, shot only 28 percent in the second half.

Washington graduate Matt Popeck, who was the Yellow Jackets’ leading scorer last year, missed his fourth consecutive game because of an injury.

Cleveland State 70, Robert Morris 59: Algevon Eichelberger had a career-high 21 points as Cleveland State beat visiting Robert Morris, 70-59.

Tre Gomillion had 15 points for Cleveland State (4-4). Craig Beaudion added 14 points. Franklyn Penn Jr. had eight rebounds for the Vikings.

Josh Williams had 17 points and six rebounds for the Colonials (2-7). AJ Bramah added 12 points.

Cleveland State, which led the final 19 minutes of the game, was up 56-52 with three minutes to go before consecutive baskets by Kasheem Thomas and Beaudion gave the Vikings an eight-point lead with 1:59 remaining. Cleveland State made 6 of 8 free throws in the final two minutes and Eichelberger sealed the win with a dunk with 18 seconds remaining.

Cleveland State faces Toledo at home on Wednesday. Robert Morris plays Youngstown State on the road on Wednesday. The Colonials are playing nine of their first 11 games away from home.

Women’s results

Wash & Jeff 67, Capital 60: Lauren Gilbert scored 20 points, Alie Seto had a double-double and Washington & Jefferson rallied in the second half to defeat host Capital, 67-60.

W&J (5-2) got off to a slow start, scoring only nine points in the first quarter and trailed 29-24 at halftime. The Presidents cut the gap to 46-43 after three quarters and then outscored the Crusaders 24-14 in the pivotal fourth quarter.

Capital (3-2) led by seven points with five minutes remaining, but W&J started its comeback and eventually took the lead for good at 58-57 with 2:27 remaining after two free throws by Hannah Johnston, who finished with 15 points.

Johnston made three more free throws in the final 17 seconds to secure the win.

Gilbert made five of eight shots, which included four three-pointers, and converted all of her six free throws. Seto scored 12 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

Capital was led by Emma Burns with 17 points. The Crusaders committed only nine turnovers but were held to 36 percent shooting.