STEUBENVILLE, Ohio – Junior forward Alex Acosta (Acworth, Ga./North Cobb) dropped his first double-double of the season to push the Washington & Jefferson College men's basketball team past the Franciscan Barons, 68-54. The bout was the first Presidents' Athletic Conference matchup of the season for both units.
 
With the win, W&J lifts their record to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play. The Presidents handed Franciscan their first loss of the season, dropping the Barons to 4-1 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
 
Nathan Plotner (Parkersburg, W.Va./Parkersburg South) led the Presidents in scoring with 13 points and a career-high seven blocks on the night. Plotner recently set his high in blocks in the Presidents' season opening win over Clarkson (Nov. 8). Acosta compiled his first double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Matt Seidl (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) also joined W&J's bigmen in double figures with 10 points, three steals, three rebounds and three assists.
 
The Presidents posted a 44.3 shooting percentage from the field (27-61) to top the Barons field goal percentage of 33.8 (22-65).
 
The Barons jumped out to an early 10-5 lead in the first half. A fastbreak jumper by Michael Plasko (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette) gave the Presidents their second lead of the bout. Seidl's makes from the charity stripe coupled with an and-one finish by freshman Cameron Rowell (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) granted the Presidents an 18-13 lead with eight minutes remaining. After a split trip to the free-throw line for the Barons knotted the score at 20, back-and-forth buckets were traded by each squad until two-points field goals made by Rowell and Plasko built a 32-26 lead.
 
Matthew Carte (Ravenswood, W.Va./Ravenswood) ended the half with a jumper before the buzzer as W&J entered the half up, 34-30.
 
W&J opened the second half, ripping off a 12-2 run. Acosta and Seidl led the charge with four points in the flurry of points followed by Carte and Plotner with two each. With a double-figure lead, Rowell and Josh Chambers (Hanover, Md./Indian Creek) kept the scoring coming tacking on two points apiece. The Presidents grew their lead to 15 off layups made by Acosta, Carte and Quinton Burlenski (Bridgeport, Ohio/Central Catholic). Free throws by Plotner closed the scoring in the bout for each side for a final score of 68-54.
 
Plotner logged six of his seven blocks in the second half, effectively staggering the Barons inside attack.
 
The Red & Black held advantages in bench points (24-5), points off turnovers (25-13) and fast break points (23-14). The Barons held control of the boards throughout the matchup with a 50-to-41 advantage. Both units posted even efforts in second-chance points (10-10) and lead changes (4-4).
 
The Presidents return home this Saturday (Nov. 23) to host the Westminster Titans in the team's home conference opener. The bout is scheduled for a tipoff of 3:00 p.m.