COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Washington & Jefferson College men's basketball team (8-2) downed the Capital Comets (5-5) to stretch their win streak to five consecutive victories, 79-73. This marks the second straight season the Presidents have bested the Comets in early season nonconference action.
 
Nathan Plotner (Parkersburg, W.Va./Parkersburg South) was all over the stat sheet tonight with 18 points, seven rebounds, six blocks and six steals. Alex Acosta (Acworth, Ga./North Cobb) led the team in scoring with 20 points. Quinton Burlenski (Bridgeport, Ohio/Central Catholic) and Matthew Carte (Ravenswood, W.Va./Ravenswood) also finished in double figures with 16 and 10 points, respectively.
 
The Comets took the lead at the beginning of the contest with an eight-point lead, 15-7. Despite triples from Carte through the midst of the first half, Capital continued to maintain their lead. The Presidents began chipping away at the Comets' nine-point lead at the 5-minute mark of the first half.
 
A Plotner dunk sparked the eight-point swing for the Presidents. Attacking the paint, the Presidents brought the opposition's lead to one, 38-37. W&J ended the second half on a six-point run to take a 43-40 lead into the half. Matt Seidl (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills), Acosta and Plotner all contributed two points each through the run.
 
Both sides opened up the second half trading multiple lead changes in a back-and-forth clash. Dunks from Plotner and scoring from the Presidents senior starters kept W&J at a knotted score through the 10-minute mark.
 
An Acosta dunk gave the Presidents their largest lead of the second half, 67-63. W&J maintained that lead and enlarged their lead to a double figure advantage off a layup from Seidl with 4:27 remaining, 75-65. Despite some pushback from the Comets, Acosta and Plotner closed the door down the stretch with paint points as W&J defeated Capital, 79-73.
 
Although the Presidents lost the rebounding battle, W&J managed to shake the Capital offense through their aggressive press. The Red & Black created Comet 23 turnovers while only giving up 12 as a team. The Presidents also held small edges in paint points (50-48) and fast break points (14-12).
 
W&J will play one last game prior to the close of 2025 on the road at La Roche on Friday (Dec. 19). Tipoff in Pittsburgh is scheduled for a 5:00 p.m. start.