NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster College men's basketball team picked up its first win of the season Saturday by defeating Saint Vincent, 81-72, at the Buzz Ridl Gymnasium.
The Titans (1-5) went on a 12-2 run after the game was tied 64-64 with 4:09 remaining. Freshman guard Max Spinner (Boca Raton, Fla./Boca Raton) hit the key basket during the run with a 3-pointer that put the Titans up 68-64 shortly after Saint Vincent guard Joey Butler fouled out.
Senior guard Craig Hannon (New Castle, Pa./Union) scored a season-high 25 points for the Titans on 8-12 shooting while dishing out a game-high five assists. Sophomore forward Ryne Murray (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) bucketed 21 points and pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds for his second straight "double-double" and the sixth of his career.
Spinner and senior guard/forward Chauncey Whitlow (Youngstown, Ohio/Woodrow Wilson) also scored in double figures for the Titans with 15 and 10 points, respectively.
After trailing by as many as eight points (19-11) in the first half, Westminster came back to take a 41-37 lead at halftime. Westminster then went up by 10 points (61-51) on a lay-up by Murray with 11 minutes remaining in the game. Saint Vincent went on a 13-2 run before Westminster went on its game-deciding 12-2 run.
Ian McCollough scored a game-high 27 points for Saint Vincent, followed by B.J. McGill with 20 and Butler with 14 markers.
The Titans return to action Monday at Allegheny for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.
About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is ranked 15th among liberal arts colleges, according to the Washington Monthly 2007 Annual College Guide. Westminster is a national leader 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 366 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 undergraduate and graduate students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty while choosing from 41 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa., campus.
