Presidents push winning streak to 6 games
STEUBENVILLE, Ohio – Nick Gearhart scored 28 points, Kyran Mitchell had another double-double and Washington & Jefferson shook off a halftime deficit and dominated the second half to defeat Franciscan 91-67 in a Presidents’ Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night.
The win keeps W&J in first place in the PAC with a 5-0 mark. The Presidents, who have won six in a row, are 10-2 overall.
Franciscan (1-4, 3-8) played well in the first half and took a 45-39 lead into halftime after making two three-point field goals in the final 90 seconds.
The Presidents, however, shot 58 percent from the field in the second half and scored 52 points while holding Franciscan to 17 percent shooting and 22 points.
W&J opened the second half with a 14-0 run, holding the Barons scoreless for the first four minutes.
Gearhart made 10 of 17 shots and dished out a team-leading six assists to lead the W&J offense. Mitchell was right behind with 26 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. He also had five assists.
Michael Bigley scored 14 points and Isaiah Langston tallied 10.
Franciscan’s Sean Hickey scored a game-high 29 points but didn’t have enough support.
W&J’s pressure defense forced 24 turnovers, the majority coming in the second half.
The Presidents will host Geneva on Saturday (1 p.m.) in a PAC contest at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.