The Bearcat men's basketball team battled for 40 minutes with visiting Grove City College, emerging with a 71-66 victory at the Carey Center.
 
The Wolverines scored the game's first four points, then continued their momentum through the first five minutes of the game, holding a 10-5 lead. 

Five points from Cletus Helton sparked the Bearcats, as they cut the gap to three, 15-12, with 13 minutes remaining in the first half, and after a Grove City score, Shemar Bennett scored on a conventional three-point play, making the score 17-15.

SVC later tied the game (21-21) at the midpoint of the half on two consecutive three-pointers by Josh Duda, then a third trey by Duda  – this one from more than 30 feet away – put the Bearcats in front. 

With SVC up 25-23, Duda hit his fourth long-range shot in four minutes, extending the lead to five. 

Grove City battled back and retook the lead, 30-29, with 4:45 to go, and took a 33-31 lead on a pair of free throws with less than a minute remaining.  David Stephen then tied the game with two free throws for SVC, but the final score of the half went to the visitors, as Grove City led 35-33 at the break.
 
A three by Reed early in the second half put SVC back in front, 38-36, but the next 11 points belonged to the Wolverines as they retook the lead, 47-38.
 
Duda's fifth three-pointer of the game at the 13:35 mark made the score 49-43, then Walter Bonds followed with two scores, to reduce the Bearcat deficit to two, 49-47.  The teams then traded baskets over the next several minutes, before Bennett scored to tie the game at 57-57 with 6:45 to go.  He followed with another layup off a pass from Helton to give SVC a 2-point lead.
 
The game remained close, before SVC pulled ahead by three on a conventional three-point play by Bennett (64-61) with 3:50 on the clock, but again Grove City refused to quit, scoring four points to retake the lead with 2:22 to go.  Bennett tied the game with a free throw, and Helton scored off a pass from Stephen to give SVC the lead with 45 seconds left (67-65).  Grove City's next shot was off the mark, and Drew Normandin grabbed a key rebound.  Stephen then went to the line with 27 seconds left, hitting one shot to put SVC up by three.  Grove City's three-point attempt missed, and Bennett came up with a rebound and was fouled with 9 ticks left, as SVC held on for the win.
 
Duda and Bennett each scored 17 for the Bearcats, while Helton added 13.  Defensively, Helton had 7 steals on the night.  Bennett was tops in rebounds with 5, but SVC was out-rebounded 43-22 on the evening.

Saint Vincent is now 5-5 overall, 2-1 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference.  Grove City falls to 3-6, 1-1 in the PAC.  SVC will return to action on Saturday, December 28 hosting Immaculata in the first round of the Catholic Basketball Tournament in the Carey Center at 6:00.