Box Score LATROBE, Pa. – The Thiel College men's basketball team traveled to Saint Vincent for Wednesday's showdown with the Bearcats. Some hot shooting in the first half gave the home team what proved to be an insurmountable lead as Thiel dropped the Presidents' Athletic Conference contest, 76-69.
 
The Tomcats (4-6, 1-3) shot 44.6 percent (25-of-56) over the first 20 minutes of play and trailed 47-28 at halftime. Things turned around for Thiel in period number two when junior Joshua Johnson connected on a pair of free throws that pulled his team to within five points of the home-standing Bearcats (11-2, 4-0).
 
A Justin Dade (Upper Marlboro, Md./Bishop McNamara) lay-up with 4:58 remaining in the game got the Tomcats to within three points of the lead (63-60). Unfortunately, that was as close Thiel could get, as the Bearcats outscored the Tomcats 16-9 down the stretch to pick up the win.
 
Thiel was led by Johnson, who poured in a team and career-best 22 points on the night. Sophomore Luke Kochka (Monroeville, Pa. /Gateway) chipped in 14 points, while junior forward Eric Mallinger (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) contributed 10 points, 11 rebounds, five blocks and two steals.
 
The Tomcats return to action on Saturday, January 11, when they travel to Crestview Hills, Ky. to take on the Saints of Thomas More College. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m.