BETHANY, W.V. – The Thiel College men's basketball team defeated the Bethany Bison in a Presidents' Athletic Conference game, 77-76, on the road Wednesday night.

Thiel opened up a 15-9 lead early in the first half, before a 10-4 run from Bethany knotted the score at 19-19. The Tomcats responded with a 10-3 run of their own to take a seven-point lead, and would lead by as much as eight, before taking a 37-32 lead into halftime.

The second half was back and forth, with the Tomcats leading by as many as nine points. A 7-0 run midway through the second half saw the Bison tie up the game at 49-49.

The rest of the game was tightly contested, with neither team leading by more than four points.

A Tony Fox jumper with 45 seconds remaining in regulation gave Bethany a 76-75 lead.

Following a timeout, and a missed shot for the Tomcats, Rayshod Hooper (Baltimore, Md./St. Frances Academy) grabbed the offensive rebound and put the ensuing fadaway jumper up and in to give the Tomcats a 77-76 lead, and the win.

Thiel had three players score 20 points or more, led by Elijah Harden (Sharon, Pa./Kennedy Catholic) who recorded 24 points and three rebounds. Jonah Biggers (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall) and Rayshod Hooper (Baltimore, Md./St. Frances Academy) each recorded a double-double. Biggers scoring a career-best 23 points and 14 rebounds, while Hooper recorded 20 points and 12 rebounds. Ethan Barnes (Boynton Beach, Fla./Suncoast) tallied five points and added four helpers, while Mike Brown (Clinton, Md./Gwynn Park) recorded three points and four assists.

Bethany was led by Troy Hixson who recorded 20 points and five rebounds. Cole Dailey tallied 19 points and 14 boards, while Tony Fox chipped in 19 points and five boards.

The game featured seven ties and 19 lead changes.

The Tomcats head into the final weekend of the season still alive in the PAC playoff race. The Tomcats will head to Waynesburg to close out the regular season on Saturday. The PAC game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.