Box Score WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College bench produced 49 points to help propel the Presidents to an 84-72 men's basketball victory over Denison on Wednesday night at the Henry Memorial Center. 

The Presidents' reserves outscored the Bid Red's by a 49-6 margin. Junior forward Mitch Locher totaled 20 of those points, including three dunks, while also contributing eight rebounds.  The game was tied on six different occasions during the first 11 minutes until the Big Red (0-1), but Denison held the Presidents without a field goal for five minutes and built a 38-28 advantage with 2:37 remaining in the first half.

The Presidents were able to close to within 41-38 at halftime with a late run that was started on a three-pointer by junior guard Jake Swan. Denison pushed the lead back to eight points (50-42) early in the second half, but the Presidents methodically chipped away and eventually went back ahead on a Locher triple with 13:21 left. W&J trailed 61-60 with 9:58 remaining; however, sophomore guard Tyler Haas buried a three-pointer on the next possession and the Presidents never trailed again. Haas' trey fueled a 13-4 spurt in which he ended with a free throw at the 5:50 mark for a 73-65 lead.

DU narrowed the gap to 73-68, but junior guard Doug Johnson's jumper with 4:39 left helped seal the Presidents' victory.  Johnson finished with 17 points (3-of-5 three-pointers), four rebounds and three assists, while classmate Mike Resnik contributed 14 points, four rebounds and three helpers. Haas rounded out four Presidents in double figures with 10 points, while distributing four assists and grabbing four boards. W&J made 26-of-30 free throws and shot 45 percent (25-of-56) from the field.  Brad Woolard led the Big Red with 23 points and eight rebounds. Denison shot 42 percent (25-of-59) and missed 11 free thows (18-of-29).

The Presidents look the up their record to 3-1 for the first time since the 2008-09 season Saturday when hosting Penn State-Fayette at 1:00 pm.