NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - Junior forward Rob Briggs (Saxonburg, Pa./Knoch) scored over 20 points for the first time in his career, but the Westminster College men's basketball team lost 75-69 at home to Waynesburg Tuesday night in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game. Westminster is now 3-10 on the season and 0-4 in the PAC, while the Yellow Jackets improve to 5-7 overall and 2-1 in the league.
Briggs scored a game-high 22 points and surpassed his previous career high of 17 points set in his first collegiate game in 2008. Briggs was an efficient 9-13 shooting from the floor including 2-4 from 3-point range. He also ripped down six rebounds.
Freshman guard Kendall Hunter (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) also posted a career night for the Titans as he scored in double figures for the first time with 15 points on 5-9 shooting from the field.
A third Titan enjoyed a career night as junior guard Anthony DeFelice (Poland, Ohio/Poland Seminary) registered his first career double-double with 11 points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
Freshman guard Christian Shea (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) scored nine points for Westminster, all on 3-5 shooting from 3-point range, while also handing out a team-best four assists.
Steven Iser and Nick Herman paced the Yellow Jackets with 17 and 10 points, respectively, while Iser led Waynesburg with six rebounds and Herman dished out a team-best four assists.
Waynesburg led most of the first half before leading 36-34 at halftime. In the second half, Westminster led by as many as four points and as late as 50-49 with 12:56 remaining. However, Waynesburg surged ahead with the Yellow Jackets' next four field goals coming from 3-point range as the Jackets went on a 13-0 run that didn't end until Shea sank a 3-pointer with 7:45 left.
Westminster could only whittle the Waynesburg lead down to four points when Briggs knocked down a pair of jumpers at the 3:29 and 2:29 marks.
The Titans host Washington & Jefferson 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.
