WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College men's basketball team dropped their Sunday matinee to the Saint Vincent Bearcats in a high-scoring affair, 90-71.
 
W&J moves to 7-3 overall and 5-2 in Presidents' Athletic Conference play. The Bearcats elevate their overall record to 7-3 and uplifts to a 4-2 conference record.
 
Sophomore forward Nathan Plotner (Parkersburg, W.Va./Parkersburg South) led the Presidents in scoring with 19 points, adding eight rebounds in a near double-double effort. Freshman Michael Plasko (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette) continues to impress in his first-year campaign with 13 points and three steals. Matthew Carte (Ravenswood, W.Va./Ravenswood) drained three triple and completed one old fashioned three-point play to tack on 12 points for the Presidents.
 
W&J went down early in the bout, with a swift 9-3 deficit. Paint points by Plotner and a successful tip-in made by Alex Acosta (Acworth, Ga./North Cobb) allowed the Presidents to move within striking distance, down 11-7. The Presidents danced around a one-point deficit off of a layup made by Matt Seidl (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) and free throws counted from Acosta before allowing the Bearcats to build a double figure lead.
 
A run of scoring in the first half allowed the Presidents to move within two points of the Saint Vincent lead, 36-34. Attacking the rim boded well for W&J as Plotner and Plasko found success close to the hoop, each tallying paint points. Carte drained a triple to close the scoring for the Presidents in the first half of play, 45-37.
 
W&J came out of the half trading shots with the Bearcats, including a layup and dunk by Plotner on some of the opening possessions. Quinton Burlenski (Bridgeport, Ohio/Central Catholic) added into the mix with a fastbreak layup. After bringing the lead within four, the Bearcats managed to run away with the remainder of the bout, outscoring W&J 45-34 in the final half of play. A late scoring spell sparked by Cameron Rowell (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) kept the Bearcats on guard, but to no avail.
 
The Presidents were bested on the boards, having lost the rebounding battle 46-26. They were also caught behind in second-chance points (19-8) and points in the paint (54-48). W&J held slight advantages in fastbreak points (18-6), bench points (20-13) and points off of turnover (17-13).
 
The Presidents return to play Tuesday (Dec. 17), to face Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.