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The Saint Vincent men's basketball team out-scored host Waynesburg 50-29 in the second half to defeat the Yellow Jackets 82-62 in Presidents' Athletic Conference action at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse.
Dennis Bassich led three double-digit scorers for the Bearcats, bucketing a game-high 28 points, going 5-for-9 from behind the three-point line, while Tauvon Pettiford scored 18 points and Armani Fountain 10.
The Bearcats were dominant early in the game, opening a 12-3 lead before Waynesburg's Jeff Young got the hot hand. Young scored six straight points to cut the gap to just three. After a score by SVC's Pettiford, Young started a five-point Waynesburg run with a dunk, then later gave the Yellow Jackets a 16-14 lead with 7:55 remaining in the first half.
The game remained close for must of the remainder of the first half, until Young again took control scoring five consecutive points that helped the hosts take a 30-25 lead with less than two minutes left. Bassich kept SVC close with a pair of three-pointers in the final minute, and the Bearcats went into the break down by just one, 33-32.
Three free throws to open the second half gave the Jackets a four-point edge less than 30 seconds into the half, but the Bearcats then went on an 8-point run, with conventional three-point plays by both BJ McGill and Bassich, then a score from Fontaine, all in less than one minute, to take a 40-36 lead.
After a three-pointer from the Jackets cut the gap to one, 40-39, Bassich and Pettiford helped to build the Bearcat lead to six, 45-39, and SVC never looked back, expanding the lead over the game's final 14 minutes.
Bassich's 28 points were a career high, achieved in just 26 minutes of play. Pettiford completed his double-double by grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds, nine of which came in the first half. McGill, despite being held to just four points, dished out 5 assists and added three blocks and a pair of steals. Grant Latus also blocked three shots.
Young led Waynesburg with 16 points, but was virtually shut down in the second half by SVC, scoring just one point. Lou Galante tallied 14, while Young had a team-best 6 boards and three steals.
Saint Vincent improves to 8-4 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference with the win, while Waynesburg drops to 2-11. SVC is now tied for third in the PAC with Thomas More College.
The Bearcats return to action on Wednesday night in the Carey Center, hosting Grove City College at 8PM.
