NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - First-place Thiel shot exactly 30 percentage points better than the Westminster College men's basketball team as the Titans lost to the visiting Tomcats, 78-61, Wednesday night in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) action. Thiel improves to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in the PAC. Westminster dips to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in league play.
Thiel shot an impressive 63.3 percent (31-49) from the floor compared to Westminster at 33.3 percent (23-69). Thiel had two players who combined for 43 points and just nine missed field goals (18-27). Ladell Trotty came off the bench for Thiel and led all scorers and rebounders with 27 points and 17 rebounds, while Blair Rozenblad bucketed 21 points with eight boards.
Four Titans scored in double figures led by freshman guard Ben Donlow (Poland, Ohio/Poland Seminary) with 19 points and 11 rebounds for his second straight double-double. Junior Doug Smith (South Park, Pa./South Park) poured in 17 points including four 3-pointers.
Sophomore guard Kendall Hunter (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) scored in double figures for only the second time in his career as he bucketed 12 points, while junior guard Ron Martino (Youngstown, Ohio/Cardinal Mooney) scored 11 points while posting a career and game-high six steals.
Thiel led by as many as 16 points in the first half. Westminster was able to narrow Thiel's lead down to six points with 8:56 left in the second half, but Thiel answered with a Troddy 3-pointer and it reestablished a large cushion which swelled to as many as 20 points before the final margin.
Westminster travels to 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, a top-tier liberal arts college, ranks third in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Best Colleges guide. Westminster ranked 6th 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 376 Colleges" 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 42 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.
