GREENVILLE, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson's College men's basketball team suffered a 75-72 loss on the road to Thiel College Monday evening in Presidents' Athletic Conference play.
The loss drops W&J to 2-8 overall and 1-5 in conference play. Thiel improves to 3-8 overall and 2-5 in the league.
W&J had an all-around well balanced offensive effort with four players reaching double digit scoring in the loss.
Alex Acosta (Acworth, Ga. / North Cobb) led the way by posting his PAC-leading sixth double-double of the season. Acosta finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Acosta currently leads the PAC in field goal percentage (63.9 percent) and rebounding (9.9 per game) while ranking fourth in scoring (18.1 per game).
Nick Gearhart (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon) put up 11 points and paced the Presidents with four assists in the setback.
Brandon Jakiela (McDonald, Pa. / South Fayette) and
Matthew Carte (Ravenswood, W.Va. / Ravenswood) both finished with 11 points.
Josh Chambers (Hanover, Md. / Indian Creek) put up nine points.
W&J opened the game gaining a five-point lead behind a three-pointer by Gearhart and field goals by Acosta and Chambers. The lead swelled to 10-3 on a three-point field goal by
Nick Sukernek (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper Saint Clair) less than two minutes later.
The Tomcats countered with a 13-2 run to build a 16-12 advantage after a three-point play by Marlon Ellerbee at the 12:15 mark. The teams began to trade baskets and numerous ties over the course of the next five-plus minutes. After a layup by Acosta gave W&J a 20-18 lead, the Tomcats rattled off nine-straight points over the next two-plus minutes to make it 27-20 with 6:34 to play in the half.
Jakiela would account for five of the next six points to close the gap to 27-26. Despite a great effort by the Presidents who were able to tie things up two more times, they were unable to secure another lead in the half. The Tomcats stretched the halftime lead to 38-33 with a three-pointer just before the halftime buzzer.
Thiel would score the first bucket of the half before two good free throws by Mazza and a good jumper by Carte would put the Presidents back within three at 40-37.
The two teams continued to battle over the next few minutes before a spurt by the Presidents regained the lead for the visitors. A nine-point run, which included a three-point play by Chambers, helped make it 50-46 W&J at the 13:21 mark.
However, The Tomcats regained the lead for good on a three-pointer a few minutes later. The hosts stretched the lead to eight (69-61) with a pair of free throws with 4:26 remaining. W&J battled back and eventually cut the deficit to a single point on a layup by Acosta with 1:45 to play. The Tomcats sealed the victory down the stretch at the charity stripe.
Free throw shooting has been a sore spot for W&J thus far this season. The Presidents, who entered the night ranking ninth of 11 teams in the PAC, converted just 12 of 21 attempts (57.1 percent). The Tomcats, however, continued an all too familiar trend when it comes to W&J's opponents. The Tomcats made 21-of-28 free throws (75 percent). W&J's opponents are shooting a PAC-leading 74 percent from the line this season.
Thiel had three players score in double figures. Leading the Tomcats was Elijah Harden with 16 markers.
W&J head to Muskingum University for a non-conference game on Wednesday, Dec. 13. Tip-off is slated for a 7 p.m.
