Small college basketball: W&J, Waynesburg men get PAC road wins
Kyran Mitchell scored 23 points, Nick Gearhart added 19 and Washington & Jefferson opened Presidents’ Athletic Conference play with an 81-79 victory over defending league champion Westminster in New Wilmington Wednesday night.
W&J (1-0, 5-2) led 81-78 in the final minute when Westminster had two possessions with a chance to tie. The Titans missed a three-pointer, then with less than 10 seconds to play, W&J fouled, sending Westminster (0-1, 3-2) to the free-throw line. The Titans’ Anthony Ritter made the first shot with two seconds left, then tired to miss the second but was called for a lane violation.
The Presidents made 11 three-pointers, including four by Gearhart. A Gearhart three gave W&J the lead for good at 65-64.
Daniel Ritter and Reese Leone each had 17 points for Westminster.
Waynesburg 62, Grove City 52: Matt Popeck scored 16 points and triggered a 20-0 second-half run that sent Waynesburg to a 62-52 come-from-behind victory over host Grove City in a PAC game.
Grove City (0-2, 3-3) led 28-24 at halftime and increased the gap to 39-31 with 15 minutes remaining.
Popeck, however, made a three-pointer that was followed by three-point baskets by Ryan Felberg and Jake Scheidt that gave Waynesburg (2-0, 4-2) a 40-39 edge. The Yellow Jackets then ran off 11 more unanswered points, including five by Felberg, and built a 51-39 edge.
Felberg finished with 15 points and Nijon Kirkman had 11 for the Yellow Jackets.
No Grove City player scored more than eight points.
Women’s results
Wash & Jeff 60, Westminster 59: Freshman guard Meghan Dryburgh sank one of two free throws with 0.5 seconds remaining to give Washington & Jefferson a 60-59 victory over host Westminster in the Presidents’ PAC opener.
W&J’s Sarah Berardelli had tied the score at 59-59 with a basket with 19 seconds remaining. Westminster was then called for an offensive foul, giving the ball back to W&J (1-0, 4-2) with 13 seconds left.
The game was close throughout with Westminster holding a one-point edge at halftime. W&J gained a five-point lead early in the fourth quarter before Westminster rallied and led 57-54 with 2:45 to play.
Adalynn Cherry led W&J with 16 points, making four of the Presidents’ 11 three-pointers. Kamryn Lach had 11 points.
Westminster’s Natalie Murrio scored a game-high 19 points.
Grove City 63, Waynesburg 55: Jaden Davinsizer scored all 15 of her points on three-point shots and Grove City held off visiting Waynesburg 63-55 in a PAC game.
Waynesburg’s Brooke Fuller had a big night with game highs of 21 points and 18 rebounds but the Yellow Jackets (0-2, 0-7) were unable to crack to the win column because of 27 turnovers. Marley Wolf had 16 points for Waynesburg, which shot only 29 percent but had a 13-5 scoring edge over Grove City (2-0, 4-1) at the free-throw line.