BEAVER FALLS, Pa. (Jan. 31) – The Saint Vincent men's basketball team used balanced scoring and timely second-half execution to secure a 70-63 Presidents' Athletic Conference victory over Geneva College (Pa.) Saturday afternoon at Metheny Fieldhouse.
 
With the win, the Bearcats improve to 12-7 overall and 7-3 in PAC play, while Geneva falls to 8-11 and 5-5 in conference action.
 
In a back-and-forth affair that featured six lead changes and three ties, Saint Vincent built a 29-25 advantage in the first half and carried that edge into intermission. The Bearcats shot 40.0 percent in the first half and 51.9 percent in the second, finishing the day at 45.6 percent from the field to overcome a tough Geneva attack.
 
Saint Vincent's offense was paced by Jaden Payne, who poured in a game-high 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting and a perfect 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Jaden Gales added 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Jevontae Jones contributed 11 points to keep the Bearcats in control throughout the second half.
 
Mike Iuzzolino scored 10, and Terek Crosby chipped in eight with a trio of three-point makes. Dev Ostrowski finished with four points, rounding out the Bearcats' balanced effort.
 
Geneva was led by Nick Million's 18 points on efficient shooting and Tommy Coletti's 13, and Austin Matthews added 12 points as the Golden Tornadoes fought to stay within range. Despite shooting 38.2 percent overall and 20.8 percent from three, Geneva remained in the game thanks to strong free-throw shooting and rebounding.
 
Saint Vincent held a narrow lead for much of the second half but responded to every Geneva push, using late free throws and strong defensive stands to preserve the margin in the final minutes. The Bearcats also earned 10 fast-break points and controlled tempo in key stretches to keep Geneva at bay.
 
Saint Vincent returns to action on Wednesday, February 4 as the Bearcats take on Waynesburg. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the Carey Center on Wednesday night.