Men's Basketball: Presidents sweep season series over Bison

Drew VonScio, Student Assistant for Athletic Communications 

WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Bethany men's basketball started the second round of regular season conference play on the road as they travelled to take on the PAC's best, Washington and Jefferson College. The hosts were able to rally once again and knock of the Green and White 79-56. 

Freshmen led the way for the first few minutes as Tony Fox got the Bison on the board with a jumper just over 90 seconds into the first half that tied the contest up 2-2. After the Presidents tacked on the next five points, the Bison would not score again until Fox delivered with a layup this time around. TJ Jenkins cut the deficit down to a single point before Troy Hixson hit a three-pointer. With the game once again tied, sophomore Chance Wells connected on a jumper that gave Bethany the lead. Cole Dailey added a jumper and a layup a short time later to give the Bison a 15-14 lead, but despite it being early, this would be the last time the visitors were in front. W&J went on a 9-2 run that was made easy with Bethany coughing up the basketball on multiple possessions to put the Presidents ahead by eight. Scoring went dry for the Green and White as they put up just seven points over the final six minutes of play and went into the locker room trailing 37-24. 

Dailey got the second half started for the Bison with a three-point play as he scored a layup and added on a foul shot. Dailey would go on to put up the first 11 points of the half for Bethany courtesy of a handful of layups as the Green and White cut the deficit down to seven. Jenkins would add a layup to distribute the scoring responsibilities that once again pulled the Bison within seven. W&J went on a 9-3 run that put themselves ahead by 13 just before Da'Shan Clark rolled one in off the backboard. Another Dailey layup got the Bison closer, but that momentum was quickly halted as the Presidents would use their size and speed to rip off their largest run of the matchup, 14-2, with the lone Bethany points coming from a Dailey layup. This third one was the dagger to the heart as it put the Green and White behind for good. Bethany trailed by as many as 30 shortly after a Wells free throw. Bethany would go on an 8-2 run of their own to close out the contest. 

Dailey led the way for the Bison with 23 points and nine rebounds as he continues to shine in his first season. Wells was the next-highest scorer with eight points, while Jenkins and Clark each had six rebounds. Bethany is back at it in a week when they host Allegheny inside Hummel Fieldhouse with tip-off slated for 7 p.m.