PITTSBURGH, Pa. (Jan. 21) – Coy Patterson Jr. poured in a career-high 18 points as the Saint Vincent men's basketball team defeated Chatham University 75-61 in a Presidents' Athletic Conference contest.  
 
The Bearcats converted 61.5 percent from the field, including 41.2 percent from behind the three-point line in the contest. Defensively, SVC held Chatham's three-point shooting in check, limiting the Cougars to just six makes on 25 attempts behind the line.
 
Saint Vincent came off fast, building a 10-2 lead over the first three-plus minutes of the game. Most of the work came inside, as Austin Dedert and Austin Ford combined for the first six points of the game before Jason Capco added a fastbreak layup and a pair of free throws.
 
The Bearcats extended the lead to nine (13-4) shortly thereafter but the host Cougars started to chip away and get back into the contest. Later in the half, Chatham used a run to take their first and only lead of the half, at 23-22 with 7:06 remaining in the opening half.
 
However, the lead for Chatham was short-lived as Matt D'Amico helped SVC answer back with a baseline jumper to regain the lead at 24-23. The D'Amico shot helped start an 11-0 run for the Bearcats, which was capped by a three-pointer from Mike Simmons, giving the Bearcats a 34-23 advantage with 1:16 left in the half.
 
Chatham would use two free throws to cut the deficit into single digits at the half, as the Bearcats led 34-25.
 
Just like the first meeting, Saint Vincent was very efficient in the first half offensively. The Bearcats converted 58.3 percent from the field, which included a pair of threes. The Bearcats were balanced in the opening half, as four players scored at least six points, including Capco and Patterson with seven.
 
The Bearcats wasted little time building upon their lead in the early stages of the second half. Patterson connected on a three-pointer to bring the lead back into double digits before Dedert added back-to-back field goals.
 
After a Chatham basket cut it to 43-29 at the 17:34 mark, Saint Vincent used a 13-3 run to grow the lead to its largest of the game at 24 (56-32). D'Amico continued his hot shooting, making back-to-back buckets and totaling six of the points during the run.
 
Saint Vincent maintained a sizeable advantage throughout the rest of the contest. A jumper from Reggie Rogers helped Chatham cut the lead to 15 (60-45) with 10:54 left but the Bearcats used another run to end any comeback attempt.
 
Josh Duda and Tom Kromka would help SVC to five straight points to make 65-45 with 8:30 left. From there the Bearcats just salted the game away, leading by as many as 24 down the stretch before winning 75-61.
 
Patterson led the way with 18 points. D'Amico and Ford each added 12 points to round out the trio in double figures. Capco chipped in a career-high seven assists.
 
The win improved the Bearcats to 13-4 overall and 9-1 in the PAC, building a two-game cushion for first place. Chatham, who came in winners of four of their past five games, dropped to 8-9 overall and 4-6 in conference play. 
 
The Bearcats travel to Washington & Jefferson for their second straight road game on Wednesday, Jan. 25. Tip-off between the Bearcats and Presidents is scheduled for 8 p.m.