HUNTINGTON, Pa. -- For a second consecutive game, sophomore guard
Nick Gearhart (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon) recorded a career high in points, as he finished with 26 points in a 102-88 win over Pitt-Greensburg Saturday evening in the consolation game at Juniata College Tournament.
This win improves W&J to 4-1 overall. Pitt-Greensburg falls to 0-5 on the 2021-22 season. The win was the second in as many meetings this season against the Bobcats.
Kyran Mitchell (Reading,Pa./Berks Catholic),
Isaiah Langston (Coraopolis, Pa./Cornell) and
J.R. Mazza (Bridgeport, W.VA./University) all joined Gearhart in double figures in scoring. Mitchell finished with 23 points with a new career-high 13 rebounds for the double-double effort. Langston recorded a new career-high of 13 points and Mazza finished the night with a new career-high 21 points and six rebounds.
Gearhart scored the first seven points of the game for the Red and Black as they opened up an early 7-2 lead. UPG took control with a 20-5 run that gave them a 21-12 lead over the Presidents. A layup by Micah Jones stretch UPG's lead to 50-37 with 2:56 left in the first half. The 13-point advantage was the largest of the game for the Bobcats.
W&J was able to counter with five straight points to conclude the half. A steal and layup by Mitchell late in the first half allowed W&J to cut its deficit to 50-42 at the break.
The Presidents used a 10-0 run midway through the second half to surge into the lead. Back-to-back buckets by Langston gave W&J a 65-60 lead with 11:18 to play. Mazza stretched the lead into double digits with a three-pointer that made the score 78-68 with 7:48 remaining. Another trey by Mazza swelled the advantage to 89-73 at the 3:59 mark.
A steal and old fashioned three-point play by
Dirk Daniels (Phillipsburg, N.J./Blair Academy) helped W&J reach 100 points with 59 seconds to play.
W&J had a stellar all-around shooting performance as they converted 52.4 percent of its field goal attempts (33-of-63), 50 percent from three-point range (8-of-16), and 75.7 percent from the free throw line (28-of-37).
W&J will return to Salvitti Family Gymnasium on Saturday, November 27 as the host a non-conference game against local Carnegie Mellon University. The Presidents and Tartans tip off is scheduled to start at 3:00 P.M.
