BETHANY, W.Va. - Senior forward Ryne Murray (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) scored a game-high 33 points, but the Westminster College men's basketball team lost 85-73 at Bethany Saturday in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) action. Westminster is 5-13 on the season and 2-5 in the PAC, while Bethany is 12-5 overall and 5-2 in the league.
Murray's 33 points marks his second 30-point scoring of the season and the fifth of his career. He shot 11-19 from the floor and 7-13 from 3-point range. Murray also grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.
Two other Titans scored in double figures, including sophomore forward Rob Briggs (Saxonburg, Pa./Knoch) with a season-high 16 points on 6-11 shooting and junior Max Spinner (Boca Raton, Fla./Boca Raton) with 10 points on 3-5 shooting. Briggs' 16 points were one shy of a career high.
Westminster shot an even 50 percent (26-52) from the field, compared to Bethany at 45.9 percent (28-61).
Jay Lyonett led Bethany with 20 points and seven rebounds, followed by Joe Testa with 17 points, Dustin Opalka with 14, Jonas Ankrom with 13 and James Barton with 10.
Bethany led by no more than eight points in the first half before leading 41-37 at halftime.
The Bison led the entire second half and the closest Westminster would get was three points with 13:40 remaining. The Bison established a 10-point lead by the 8:00 mark and the Titans were within eight points with 3:41 left before Bethany surged ahead by 17 before cruising to a 12-point win.
Westminster hosts Saint Vincent Wednesday at 8 p.m.
About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is a top tier liberal arts college and a national leader in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Guide to America's Best Colleges. Westminster ranked third among liberal arts colleges in social mobility, according to the Washington Monthly College Guide, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 371 Colleges" and "Best in the Northeast" by The Princeton Review, and is named to the President's Honor Roll for excellence in service learning.
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. Visit www.westminster.edu/advantage to view "Advantage: Westminster" A Strategic Plan 2010-2020.
