NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster College men's basketball team snapped a five-game losing streak after holding off a late rally by visiting Grove City Wednesday for its first Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) win of the season. The Titans won 69-62 after leading by 14 with 1:21 remaining. Grove City (4-12, 1-6 PAC) cut the Westminster (4-13, 1-6 PAC) margin to just three points with 14 seconds left but the Titans prevailed.Â
Sophomore guard Doug Smith (South Park, Pa./South Park) and freshman guard Christian Shea (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) led the Titans with 22 and 20 points, respectively, to become the first Titan duo in over two seasons to post a pair of 20-point games. Ryne Murray and Steve Bielich last accomplished that feat in a 101-85 loss to Wesley on Nov. 11, 2008.
Shea's 20 points were a career high, while Smith scored over 20 points for the third time this year. Smith (5-8) and Shea (4-10) accounted for nine of Westminster's 11 3-pointers as the Titans shot 40.7 percent (11-27) from behind the arc.
Freshman guard Anthony Thomas (New Castle, Pa./Union) also posted solid numbers with 10 points, five rebounds a career-high tying seven assists. Junior forward Rob Briggs (Saxonburg, Pa./Knoch) bucketed eight points to go with a team-high six rebounds.
Brett Matson led Grove City with 17 points, while Kris Verderber and Luke Tomaselli scored 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Westminster shot 50 percent (24-48) from the floor compared to Grove City at 41.5 percent (22-53).
The Titans jumped to a 24-9 lead midway through the first half and led 34-22 at halftime.
Westminster, which led by as many as 15 points in the second half, led by no fewer than nine points until under a minute remaining when the Wolverines threatened.
After forcing a Westminster turnover, Evan Schell converted a basket while being fouled. He made the foul shot and Grove City trailed by five. Then the Titans missed a pair of free throws and Matson splashed a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to three points with 14 seconds left.
Westminster went 4-for-4 from the foul line in the final 11 seconds to ice the win, two by junior guard Anthony DeFelice (Poland, Ohio/Poland Seminary) and two by Smith.Â
The Titans host Bethany Saturday at 4 p.m.
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.
