NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - Junior forward Ryne Murray (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) posted game-high totals of 26 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Westminster College men's basketball team to a 94-78 win at home Tuesday over Waynesburg in the first round of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Tournament.
Westminster (10-16), the No. 3 seed, advances to play in the second round at No. 2 Bethany on Thursday at 7 p.m. Bethany was a 74-69 winner over No. 7 Thiel on Tuesday. No. 6 Waynesburg ends its season with a 6-19 record.
Murray was 10-17 shooting from the floor including 4-10 from 3-point range. Two other Titans drained four 3-pointers apiece, including junior center Steve Bielich (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) with 4-4 shooting from downtown to finish with 18 points and sophomore guard Max Spinner (Boca Raton, Fla./Boca Raton) with making 4-8 from behind the arc to finish with 14 points.
The Titans shot 42.9 percent (15-35) from 3-point range and 46.2 (30-65) overall from the field. Waynesburg shot 44.1 percent (30-68) from the floor and 22.2 (6-27) from 3-point range.
Jeff Young and Ryan Courneen led Waynesburg with 17 and 16 points, respectively. Young also snared a team-best eight rebounds.
After Westminster led 40-36 at halftime, and Waynesburg forged within one point during the second half, the Titans went on a 28-7 run to take a 72-50 lead with 11:41 left in the game. Westminster would lead by as many as 25 points and Waynesburg could only cut the lead down to 12 points.
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.
