NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster College men's basketball team completed a season sweep of Geneva as the Titans fended off the Golden Tornadoes, 88-80, at home on Saturday afternoon.
The Titans finish their regular season with a 9-16 record while Geneva finishes its season at 8-17. Westminster, the No. 3 seed in next week's Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Tournament, will host Waynesburg in the first round on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. tip-off.
Junior forward Ryne Murray (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) came off the bench and led Westminster with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Murray posted his 12th double-double of the season and his 14th game with 20 or more points. Murray was a perfect 11-11 from the free-throw line.
Three other Titans scored in double figures, including junior center Steve Bielich (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) with 16 points to go with six rebounds, while freshman guard Anthony DeFelice (Poland, Ohio/Poland Seminary) and senior guard David Richards (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) each posted 10 points.
DeFelice, who scored eight of his 10 points in the first half, scored in double figures for a second time in his career, falling one point shy of his career high of 11 reached in Westminster's win at Geneva earlier this season.
Richards also posted game highs with five assists and four steals.
Richard Colick led Geneva with 20 points, followed by Brandon Harvey with 15 and Lambros Svingos and Dave Phillips with 11 points apiece. Svingos led Geneva with eight rebounds.
Geneva shot 46.3 percent (31-67) from the floor compared to Westminster at 37.1 percent (26-70). The Titans held a 45-36 rebound advantage.
The Golden Tornadoes led by as many as 11 points in the first half (39-28) before holding a 41-38 lead at halftime. There were nine lead changes in the second and neither team led by more than six points until Westminster ran away with the win at the end.
After the game's 10th tie score (77-77 with 2:23 remaining), Westminster took control of the game when senior guard Bobby Glass (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock) splashed a 3-pointer from the corner to give the Titans an 82-77 lead with 1:20 on the clock. Glass finished with seven points.
The Titans made all six foul shots down the stretch to clinch the win.
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.
