WASHINGTON, Pa. -- J.R. Mazza (Bridgeport, W.Va./University) poured in a game-high 21 points and knocked down five three-pointers to lead top-seeded Washington & Jefferson to a 66-61 victory over fifth-seeded Waynesburg University in the semifinal round in the 2021-22 Presidents' Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship Tournament. 

W&J advances to face second-seeded Chatham University at 7:30 p.m. in the PAC Championship game at Salvitti Family Gymnasium. Saturday will mark the first PAC title game that W&J has hosted since the 2006-07 season. Chatham defeated third-seeded Westminster by a 72-62 score in Thursday's other semifinal. 

The Presidents beat the Yellow Jackets for a third time in as many tries in 2021-22. The Presidents won 61-52 at Waynesburg on January 12 and claimed a 68-63 win at home on February 9. All three games were played at a pace that favored the Yellow Jackets. However, for a third time this season, Waynesburg came up short. Kyran Mitchell (Reading, Pa./Berks Catholic) was hampered with foul trouble throughout the night and was held scoreless. It didn't matter as W&J was able to beat Waynesburg at its own game --- defense. The Presidents limited Waynesburg to 36.5 percent from the field and forced 18 turnovers.

Waynesburg gained an early lead after tallying five unanswered points. W&J countered with nine straight points, as a three-pointer by Mazza and a layup by Nick Gearhart (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon) gave the Presidents its first lead at 9-5.

The teams exchanged baskets over the next few minutes before a layup by John Tastinger gave Waynesburg a 15-14 advantage at the 10:34 mark. W&J held Waynesburg scoreless for nearly six minutes to take a double-digit lead (27-15) with 4:53 to play before halftime. Gearhart accounted for the final seven points during a 13-0 run for W&J. 

Three-point field goals inside the final minute of the first half by Bigley and Mazza allowed W&J to take a 38-27 lead into halftime. 

W&J took its biggest lead of the game when Mazza converted a layup less than two minutes into the second half. However, the visiting Yellow Jackets chipped away at the Presidents' 13-point lead from there. Four consecutive points by Bryson Wilt gave Waynesburg a 49-47 lead with 10:51 to play. Okikiola Agbale (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) had the answer on the other end, as the senior converted an old-fashioned three-point play to help W&J reclaim the lead. Following a defensive stop, Mazza drained a triple to extend the lead to four (53-49) at the 10:07 mark. 

A layup by Isaiah Langston (Coraopolis, Pa./Cornell) gave W&J a 60-55 lead with 6:27 to play. Both teams went cold offensively over the next several minutes, as neither team made a field goal for nearly five minutes. Gearhart stretched the W&J lead to six points (62-56) with a driving layup with 1:43 left. W&J was able to do what it needed to do down the stretch to nail down the victory. 

Gearhart just narrowly missed his second double-double of the season. He finished with 19 points, nine rebounds and five steals. Gearhart now has 460 points this season, which is the most ever by a sophomore at W&J. The previous high was by Jon Koch, who finished with 455 as a sophomore in 2004-05. 

Bigley joined Mazza and Gearhart in double figures, as he tallied 10 points. Jake Scheidt led Waynesburg with 19 points. 

W&J will be aiming for its 10th PAC title with a win Saturday. The Presidents have not won a conference crown since the 1994-95 season. That was the last of four consecutive PAC titles by the Red and Black.