BEREA, Ohio – Three Baldwin Wallace University men's basketball players scored in double figures en route to a 90-61, non-conference victory over visiting Westminster (Pa.) College inside Ursprung Gymnasium at the Lou Higgins Center.
BW (6-4) was led by junior Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference guard Michael Quiring (Brunswick), junior guard Zach Cebula (Brunkswick), and senior two-time All-OAC and Academic All-OAC guard Jay Battle (Gahanna/ Lincoln), who had 18, 14, and 11 points respectively. Senior guard Kyle Nader (Vermilion) and junior forward Tyler Colombo (Strasburg/ Tuscarawas Central Catholic) each had a game-high, 8 rebounds.
Westminster opened the first half with two layups and BW answered back with two layups of its own by Nader. The Yellow Jackets established their first lead of the game with a traditional three-point play bym Quiring, igniting a 17-9 run and giving BW a 21-13 advantage with 9:43 left in the frame. The Titans retaliated with a 7-2 spurt, trimming the lead to three at 23-20, but Quiring ended the drought for BW with a three-pointer from the corner to the lead to six. During the next minutes the squads exchanged baskets and BW led 33-29, before it went on a 9-0 run to grab its largest lead of the half at 42-29. As the final seconds expired, Westminster junior guard Lloyd Chatman, who led Titans with 17 points, nailed a high-arcing buzzer-beater trey to reduce the BW lead to 10 points at 42-32 heading into the intermission.
The Yellow Jackets started the second half with a 16-6 run to give them a comfortable 58-38 lead with 15:36 left in regulation. Down 20, Westminster switched to a 2-3 zone to try and disrupt the Yellow Jackets rhythm. After multiple three's from Nader, Cebula, sophomore guard Matthew Dimitrijevs (Broadview Heights/ Brecksville Broadview Heights), and junior Academic All-OAC forward Jack Lostoski (Uniontown/Lake), Westminster switched back to a traditional man-to-man approach with 11:21 left to play. Up 70-47, BW controlled the lead and flow of the game and did not allow the Titans to gain any momentum.
Keys to the Yellow Jackets victory was shooting 47.8 percent from the floor on 33 of 69 shots, including 14 of 31 (45.2%) from behind the arc. BW was efficent on offense with 18 assists, including six by Battle, to just eight turnovers. The Yellow Jackets also outrebounded the Titans, 43-37, and forced 16 turnovers.
BW will hit the hardwood next on Sunday, December 30 when it travels to Berthany, West Virginia to play the Bethany College Bison at 3 p.m. The next home game is on Wednesday, January 2 when the women and men host a doubleheader. The BW women (19-1 overall, 4-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference) play Marietta College at 5 p.m. and the men host Heidelberg University at 7 p.m. Both games will be played in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium in the Lou Higgins Center.
