BETHANY, W.Va. - In a game to determine second place in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) standings, the Westminster College men's basketball team fell at Bethany, 82-77, on Wednesday night in a tightly-contested league game.
Westminster's overall record is now 8-16, while the Titans finish their PAC schedule with a 7-5 record. Bethany improves to 14-10 and 8-3 in the PAC.
Junior forward Ryne Murray (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) led the Titans with 23 points to go with 12 rebounds and a team-high four assists. Murray, along with sophomore guard Max Spinner (Boca Raton, Fla./Boca Raton), each made three 3-pointers for Westminster. Spinner finished with 14 points.
Freshman forward Rob Briggs (Saxonburg, Pa./Knoch) led Westminster with a game-high 14 rebounds - one shy of a career high - as he also scored 12 points.
Lance Beckwith led Bethany with a game-high 27 points, followed by Joe Testa with 15 points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
Bethany led by as many as 11 points in the first half before holding a 40-37 lead at halftime. Westminster took its first lead of the game when sophomore guard Louie Pisani (Saint Marys, Pa./Saint Mary) drained a 3-pointer to put the Titans up 50-48 with 14:46 left in the second half. Pisani finished with six points.
Westminster's lead was short-lived as Bethany retook a three-point lead within the next minute. The Titans kept the game close and a Spinner lay-up with 2:32 left drew Westminster within one point at 78-77. Testa answered with a lay-up to put Bethany back up by three, but then Westminster missed three straight field goal attempts and the Bison hung on for the win.
Westminster will host Geneva on Saturday at 4 p.m. for the Titans' final regular season game. The Titans will host a PAC Tournament game on Tuesday at 7 p.m. against an opponent that is yet to be determined.
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.
