Men's Basketball Grinds Out A Win Over Waynesburg

Waynesburg, Pa – The Bethany College men's basketball team picks up their first PAC win of the season against Waynesburg, 73-72. The Bison were led by Derek White Jr.'s career high 20 points, shooting 9-11 from the field. With the win, the green and white are now 2-15, 1-7 and the Yellowjackets fall to 4-12, 3-5.

GAME OVERVIEW
1st – Bethany struck first with an Aiden Albert three. The Bison and Yellowjackets exchanged buckets back and forth before the green and white took the lead for good at 7-6 from an Albert jumper. The Bison built their lead up to eight getting back to back threes from Allayasa Bray and Dylan Furlong, and a Furlong layup, 20-12. The green and white led by as many as 13 points throughout the final minutes of the first half. Waynesburg chipped away at the Bethany lead, cutting the lead to single digits before Derek White Jr. picked the pocket of a Yellowjacket and laid in a layup, 39-29. Bethany went into halftime leading 39-33.

2nd- Waynesburg scored the first seven points, taking the lead, 40-39. Bethany answered back with an Albert jumper putting the Bison ahead, 41-40. A White Jr. layup carried the lead to three, 43-40. The Bison and Yellowjackets went neck and neck exchanging the lead multiple times. Bethany battled and built the lead back to seven from a Trent Uphold jumper, 69-62. Moments later the Yellowjackets cut the lead back to four after a shot from behind the arc. A Furlong layup put the Bison back up six, 71-65, with just under five minutes to go in the game. Bethany wouldn't score again until a White Jr. layup with under a minute to go in the half, 73-69. Bethany hung on for the victory.

IN THE BOX SCORE
• Derek White Jr. had a career high 20 points, shooting 9-11 from the field
• Aiden Albert added 14 points and seven rebounds
• Dylan Furlong and Allayasa Bray each contributed 10 points apiece
• Trent Uphold dished out a team high three assists
• Logan Wolverton added nine points
• Furlong pulled in a team high nine rebounds and had three blocked shots
• Bethany shot 45.2% from the field while Waynesburg shot 38.8%
• The Bison 30 points in the paint and scored 16 points off of Waynesburg turnovers

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Nick Hager:

"Tonight was a total and complete team effort. Everyone contributed in lots of areas and at both ends. I'm proud of our guys, we'll take this momentum into preparing for a talented Geneva team. #ONEBethany"

UP NEXT
Bethany travels to Beaver Falls, Pa for a PAC matchup vs Geneva on Saturday Jan. 19. Tipoff is slated for 3 p.m.