The Presidents conclude their regular season with a 12-13 overall record and an 8-4 mark in conference play. W&J earns the No. 3 seed for next week’s PAC Tournament and will host sixth-seeded Thomas More on Tuesday at 8:00 pm in Washington, Pa.
Washington & Jefferson jumped out to an early 7-3 lead, but the Tomcats outscored the Presidents by an 18-7 margin over the final 9:50 of the second half to assume a 33-21 lead at halftime. Six different Tomcats scored baskets during the half-ending run.
The Tomcats (5-19, 2-10 PAC) scored the first four points of the second half, but the Presidents’ zone defense took over from that point, holding Thiel to just 14 points (three field goals) over the final 18:09.
Washington & Jefferson used a 15-1 run midway through the half to turn a 13-point deficit into a 44-43 lead with 8:54 remaining. Sophomore center Josip Lucic-Jozak (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) scored seven points during the run, including a three-point play which gave the Presidents the lead.
Cory Chaffee’s lay-up put the Tomcats back on top, 45-44, but W&J answered with 10 of the next 12 points during a five-minute stretch to take control of the contest. Sophomore Wahab Owolabi’s (Queens Village, N.Y./Randolph Macon Academy) lay-up at the 6:39 mark gave W&J the lead for good and Lucic-Jozak made four free throws during the run which put the game away for the Presidents.
Owolabi totaled 15 points and nine rebounds to lead Washington & Jefferson, which has won four consecutive road games. Lucic-Jozak (7-of-7 free throws) contributed 13 points, six rebounds and three blocks, while senior guard Jon Koch (New Kensington, Pa./Plum) rounded out the double figure scorers with 12 points. Koch also picked up three steals.
The Presidents shot 40 percent (21-of-53) and limited Thiel to 38 percent (18-of-47). The Tomcats were only able to connect on 1-of-12 shots from three-point range.
Joe Herrmann notched a double-double for the Tomcats with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Thiel was held to 4-of-19 shooting in the second half.
The Presidents will look to defeat Thomas More for the third time this season. W&J earned a 69-53 win in Washington on Jan. 17th and then ran away from the Saints in Kentucky three weeks later (Feb. 7), 93-67.