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WATCH FIRST HALF

WATCH SECOND HALF

LATROBE, Pa. (Feb. 1) - Behind a balanced offensive scoring attack, the Saint Vincent men's basketball team defeated first place Thiel, 78-64, in Presidents' Athletic Conference action at the Carey Center.

With the win, the Bearcats improve to 15-5 on the season and 8-3 in PAC play. Thiel, which entered the game unbeaten in league play falls to 14-5 overall and 11-1 in the conference.

Thiel took an early 6-2 lead behind a pair of three pointers in the first minute of play before SVC mounted a 13-0 run over the next six minutes to open up a 15-6 lead with 13:10 remaining in the first half. The run was started on a bucket by senior guard Tauvon Pettiford and capped off with a trifecta from senior guard Dennis Bassich.

When the Tomcats stopped the run, sophomore forward Dillon Stith answered back with a three-pointer of his own to make it an 18-8 game with 12:13 remaining in the first half. The triple started an 11-4 run for the Bearcats, highlighted by a pair of baskets from junior forward Armani Fountain.

SVC would build a 33-19 lead with just over three minutes remaining in the first half before scoring five of the final seven points of the period to take a 39-23 lead into the break, including the final four points of the half from sophomore guard Isaac Turner.

Thiel cut the lead to 43-31 with a couple of early baskets to begin the second half before defending PAC Player of the Year Blair Rozenblad picked up a flagrant one foul just over four minutes into play. Bassich shot the free throws and extended the lead back to 14 points, 45-31.

Thiel then went on a 13-4 run to cut the deficit as close as they would come, 49-44, with 12:13 to play. Turner stopped the rally with 12 minutes to play with a floater. The two teams played back-and-forth basketball for the next six minutes before a pair of free throws from Pettiford and a bucket from Fountain stretch the lead back to 10 points, 60-50, with six minutes remaining.

A Devon Adams three-pointer cut the lead to seven points, 62-55, with 5:13 remaining but was answered just over a minute later on a three-pointer by junior guard Chris Klimchock, 65-55. After a Rozenblad layup cut the lead to nine points, 66-57, with 3:15 to play, SVC scored the next six points, four of which came at the free-throw line, to open up a 15-point lead, 72-57, with 1:46 remaining.

Another triple by Thiel's Adams made it a 10-point game with 20 seconds remaining before Stith went up for a dunk with 16 seconds left and was fouled hard by Rozenblad. He would receive a flagrant two foul and a technical on the play and was ejected. Stith sank all four free-throws to make the final margin, 78-64.

Turner matched his season high with 19 points to lead all scorers while Klimchock and Pettiford each added 15 points. Bassich and Stith also scored in double figures with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Pettiford posted a team-high nine rebounds in the win while Klimchock dished out a game-best six assists.

Rozenblad and Adams led Thiel with 18 points each with Rozenblad pulling down a game-high 13 rebounds.

For the game, SVC shot 40.0 percent (24-of-60) from the field and 86.7 percent (26-of-30) at the free-throw line. Thiel connected on 34.4 percent (21-of-61) of its shots and 62.5 percent (15-of-24) free throws. SVC out-rebounded Thiel, 46-36, in the win.

The Bearcats return to action on Saturday, Feb. 4, traveling to Waynesburg for a 3:30 p.m. tip-off in PAC play.