MARIETTA, Ohio - The Westminster College men's basketball team lost to host Marietta, 77-63, Monday night in the first round of the 38th Annual Marietta Shrine Tournament.
The Titans (1-10) will play Emory & Henry (5-5) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the consolation game followed by Marietta (5-5) playing Brevard (5-2) in the championship game.
The Pioneers led 35-29 at halftime and Westminster never led during the game. The Titans did hang around in the second half as senior guard Bobby Glass (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock) knocked down a 3-pointer with 15:43 left in the game to whittle Marietta's lead down to 38-35.
The Titans were within five points with 7:42 remaining, but Marietta used a 10-2 run to take a 13-point, 61-48 lead at the five-minute mark before cruising to victory.
Glass led the Titans with 12 points, followed by junior forward Ryne Murray (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) with 11 points to go with a team-high seven rebounds, and sophomore guard Louie Pisani (Saint Marys, Pa./Saint Marys) with a career-high 11 points, including three 3-pointers. Sophomore guard Max Spinner (Boca Raton, Fla./Boca Raton) also bucketed 10 points for Westminster.
Joe Puch led the Pioneers with 21 points including 5-9 shooting from 3-point range. Kevin Knab also bucketed 16 for Marietta while Trevor Halter and Daun Lutes each scored 14 points.
Westminster shot just 29.6 percent (21-71) from the floor while Marietta shot 42.2 percent (27-64). Marietta also held a 55-39 rebound advantage.
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 368 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.
