WASHINGTON, Pa. - The first-place Westminster College men's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 89-87 loss at Washington & Jefferson Saturday in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) action.
Washington & Jefferson's Jon Koch drained a 17-foot fade-away jump shot with 0.7 seconds remaining for the game-winner.
The Titans (12-7, 5-2 PAC) were down early as they shot just 19 percent (4-21) from 3-point range in the first half and faced a 43-38 halftime deficit after trailing by as many as 12 points (22-10) in the opening frame.
The Presidents (7-12, 4-3 PAC) regained their 12-point lead in the second half despite Westminster improving its 3-point shooting. The Titans made 8 of 19 from 3-point range to finish 30 percent (12-40) for the game and 39.1 (25-64) overall from the field. W&J shot 55.6 percent (35-63) from the floor for the game.
The Titans went on a 14-0 run in the second half covering just 2:30. Sophomore forward Steve Bielich (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:31 remaining and put Westminster up by three points with a lay-up 18 seconds later.
Wahab Owolabi's lay-up gave W&J a one-point lead with 28 seconds left. At the other end, Westminster junior guard Craig Hannon (New Castle, Pa./Union) made 1 of 2 free throws to tie the game with 21 ticks remaining, before Koch scored the buzzer-beater after W&J took a timeout with 12 seconds left.
Bielich registered his second straight 20-point game as he led the Titans with a career-high 22 points on 9-18 shooting from the floor to go with a team-high nine rebounds.
Senior point guard Greg Rosatelli (Clinton, Pa./Hopewell) bucketed 17 points for the Titans, including 10-13 from the foul line, and dished out a game-high six assists. Hannon and senior Nick Adams (Huntsburg, Ohio/Cardinal) also scored 14 points apiece.
Brandon Studer led all scorers for W&J with 25 points, followed by Koch with 23 and Owolabi with 22 to go with his game-high 17 rebounds.
Westminster hosts Saint Vincent Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is ranked among national leaders in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Guide to America's Best Colleges, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 361 Colleges" and "Best in the Northeast" by The Princeton Review, and was recognized by the Templeton Guide as a "Character Building College."
Nearly 1,600 students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty, while choosing from 41 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa. campus.
