Feb 16, 2022 2 min read

PITTSBURGH – Kyran Mitchell led six Washington & Jefferson players in double figures with 22 points, Nick gearhart and Isaiah Langston each had a double-double and the Presidents took sole possession of first place in the PAC with a 98-83 victory at Chatham on Wednesday night.

The win moves W&J to 15-2 in the conference and 20-4 overall. The Presidents, who have won eight in a row, are a game ahead of Chatham (14-3, 19-3) in the standings with one game remaining in the regular season. If W&J defeats Grove City at home Saturday, or Chatham loses at Franciscan, then the Presidents will have home-court advantage through the conference tournament that starts Feb. 22 for the top seed.

W&J won the game with a big first half. The Presidents forged a 49-32 lead at intermission by shooting 54 percent in the first half. The lead grew to as many as 25 points (76-51) in the second half before Chatham made a late charge and closed to within 11 at 88-77 with 2:27 remaining.

Both Gearhart and Langston scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. J.R. Mazza scored 15 points before fouling out, Michael Bigley finished with 14 points and Dirk Daniels came off the bench to score 11. The presidents hot 52 percent.

Chatham’s Marcos Cintron scored a game3-high 27 points and Blaine Gartley followed with 20. It was the first loss at home for Chatham in 11 games.

W&J’s pressure defense forced 21 Chatham turnovers that the Presidents turned into 32 points.