GREENVILLE, Pa. – The Thiel College men's basketball team won a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game against the Waynesburg Yellow Jackets, 72-64, Saturday afternoon at Maenpa Court at Beeghly Gymnasium.

Waynesburg opened the game on a 7-0 run. However, Thiel responded with a 9-2 run to tie things up heading into the first media timeout.

The first half was back and forth, before the Tomcats took a two-point lead into halftime after a Will Wagner (Charleroi, Pa./Charleroi) put back layup as the buzzer sounded.
Thiel opened the second half with a 10-4 run to take a 48-40 lead heading into the second media timeout of the half.

Thiel built a lead by as much as 11, before Waynesburg cut the deficit to four with just 42 seconds remaining. However, a pair of free throws from Elijah Harden (Sharon, Pa./Kennedy Catholic) and Gabriel Gonzalez (Merida, Venezuela/Southwest Miami) sealed the victory for the Tomcats.

Thiel was led by Ethan Barnes (Boynton Beach, Fla./Suncoast) and Elijah Harden (Sharon, Pa./Kennedy Catholic) who both notched 22 points apiece, and shot a combined 90 percent (18-20) from the charity stripe. Barnes added eight rebounds. Rayshod Hooper (Baltimore, Md./St. Frances Academy) recorded 11 points and nine boards, while Gabriel Gonzalez (Merida, Venezuela/Southwest Miami) recorded six points, including 4-of-5 from the free-throw line, and added seven rebounds.

Waynesburg was led by Scott Bilovus who recorded 15 points, while Antone Baker recorded 13 points and seven rebounds and Jansen Knotts recorded 10 points and three rebounds.

The Tomcats are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to first-place Saint Vincent. The conference game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.