WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College men's basketball team (18-6, 11-4) picked up an important 99-82 win over the Bethany Bison (10-14, 6-9) to keep them in the running for the No. 1 seed of the South Division heading into the Presidents' Athletic Conference Playoffs.
 
The Presidents finished the day with six players in double figures for scoring. Senior captain Matt Seidl (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) led the Presidents with 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and two steals. Right behind Seidl was junior Matthew Carte (Ravenswood, W.Va./Ravenswood) with 17 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Sophomore Michael Plasko (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette) had 13 points off the bench for the Presidents. Junior captain Nathan Plotner (Parkersburg, W.Va./Parkersburg South) carried the efforts on the boards with eight rebounds.
 
The first media timeout changed the trajectory for the opening half. W&J found a spark and got out to a double-digit advantage, up 16-6 from a run sparked by Plasko. The Presidents did not look back as they grew the lead up to 20 following a layup by Seidl. W&J took this 53-33 lead into the locker room. The team shot 52.63% from the field and 62.5% from beyond the arc. Additionally, the Presidents did not miss an opportunity from the charity stripe in the opening 20 minutes.
 
In the opening 20 minutes, W&J found scoring from many different outlooks. The Presidents had 13 points off turnovers and 15 points from second chance opportunities. W&J also had 20 points off the bench and 28 points in the paint throughout the opening frame.
 
The two teams traded buckets to start the second half before the Bison went on a run to cut the lead down to 12. A layup by Sophomore Cameron Rowell (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) and four made free throws from Seidl helped to shift the momentum back to the Presidents. W&J got the lead back up to 19 and held on to take the 99-82 victory.
 
W&J continued their impressive performance from the free throw line, shooting 80% in the second half. The Presidents picked up 24 additional points in the paint and out rebounded the Bison 41-35.
 
The Presidents continue their push for the top spot in the PAC South Division with their regular season finale against the Waynesburg University Yellow Jackets. Tipoff is slated for 3:00 p.m. with the senior recognition ceremony beforehand.