The Saint Vincent men's basketball team faced the top-team in the Presidents' Athletic Conference, the Grove City Wolverines. Despite coming back and leading late, the Bearcats fell to Grove City, 68-64. Saint Vincent falls to 9-10 overall with a conference record of 4-6 as the Wolverines improve to 11-7 while going to 8-2 in the PAC. 

The hosts opened the game by taking a 2-0 lead but Saint Vincent quickly tied it as David Stephen made a layup. Both teams went back and forth with the lead as Stephen scored the first six points for the Bearcats to put them up 6-4 just 2:30 into the game. However, this was the last time SVC held the lead in the first half as the hosts went on a 7-0 run to lead 11-6 at the 15:37 mark in the first.

After having its lead cut to three by Shemar Bennett and later Tom Neugebauer, GCC increased its lead to seven (17-10) with 12:59 on the clock. Bennett, Stephen and then Helton combined for the next six points to make it a 17-16 game. The Bearcats stayed within one basket until the Wolverines went on another 7-0 run to lead 26-18 at the 5:02 mark.

Stephen ended the run but Grove City went up 10 and eventually 12 (34-22). Drew Normandin cut the deficit back to 10 but a three-point shot from the Wolverines as time expired gave the hosts a 37-24 edge going into the break.

In the second half, Grove City opened its lead to 15 but a three from Stephen and layups from Bennett and Walter Bonds brought the Bearcats within single digits (8). GCC eventually extended its lead back to 11 (45-34) with 15:33 to go in regulation. Saint Vincent went on an 11-0 run with Cletus Helton scored five points to tie the game at 45 at the 12:05 mark. 

The Wolverines regained sole possession of the lead with back-to-back layups before Bennett made the score 49-47 with 10:57 to go. Grove City increased its edge back to four but a three from Josh Duda brought SVC within a single point (51-50). GCC doubled its lead but Stephen scored six of the games next eight points to give Saint Vincent its first lead since the 17:30 mark in the first half. 

Justice Rice gave Grove City the lead right back with a three but Stephen evened the game at 57 all with 5:24 left in regulation. The Wolverines went on a small run of five points before Helton made a layup followed by another Duda three to even the game again, this time at 62 apiece. 

The hosts made a free throw to go up by one with 3:23 left in regulation but after two minutes of no makes, Bennett made a layup at the 1:07 mark to give the Bearcats a 64-63 edge. Saint Vincent unfortunately missed its final two shots as Grove City scored the final five points to win the game, 68-64.

Stephen finished with a game-high 22 points as Bennett finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Helton added 11 points off the bench as Saint Vincent was out rebounded in the game 44-36. Grove City scored 22 second chance points while SVC scored four on the night.

Saint Vincent will host the Tomcats from Thiel College on Saturday, Feb. 1. Start time is 6 p.m.