BLUFFTON, Ohio -- Led by two junior guards who scored career highs, the Westminster College men's basketball team set a new season high with points in a game as it defeated Pitt-Greensburg, 90-81, in the first round of the Bluffton Holiday McDonald's Tournament Wednesday night at Bluffton.
The Titans (3-8) advance to play the winner of Wednesday night's other first-round game between Bluffton and Wright State-Lake Thursday at 3 p.m. Pitt-Greensburg (3-6) will play the loser of that game at 1 p.m.
Junior guard Andy Timko (Hubbard, Ohio/McDonald) scored a career-high 21 points to lead the Titans. His previous career high was 17 points, also against Pitt-Greensburg in December 2007, when he played for the Titans as a freshman. Timko transferred to Division-I Youngstown State for two seasons before transferring back to Westminster this year.
Junior guard Anthony DeFelice (Poland, Ohio/Poland Seminary) scored a career-high 17 points to go with a team-high four assists for the Titans. Prior to Wednesday, DeFelice played in eight games and scored in three games with 14 points this season. His previous season high was six points and his previous career high was 15 points vs. Allegheny last year.
The other double-figure scorer for the Titans was freshman guard Anthony Thomas (New Castle, Pa./Union), who scored 15 points, six coming from a perfect 6-6 from the foul line.
Junior forward Rob Briggs (Saxonburg, Pa./Knoch) led the Titans with seven rebounds to go with eight points.
Westminster shot a season-best 55.8 percent (29-52) from the floor, surpassing the previous season high of 47.6 percent.
Five Pitt-Greensburg players scored in double figures, led by Damian Founds with 13 points. David Palmer, Larry Bigante and Nick Persing each had 12 points and Rhett Gordon deposited 10.
Pitt-Greensburg led 42-40 at halftime, but after Timko tied the game at 44-44 with 18:10 remaining, his 3-pointer with 16:57 left gave the Titans a 47-44 lead that would be the last lead change of the game.
Westminster would hold at least a five-point lead for the final nine minutes, including an 11-point lead with a minute remaining, before coming away with the nine-point win.
About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College ranks first in the nation as "Best College for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math," according to Forbes.com. Westminster is a top tier liberal arts college, a national leader in graduation rate performance, and a "Great School, Great Price," according to U.S. News Best Colleges guide. Westminster ranked 38th among liberal arts colleges, 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 373 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.
