The Westminster College men's basketball team set three new school scoring records tonight at Buzz Ridl Gymnasium, as the Titan cagers improved to 6-1 on the season with their fifth consecutive win, a 135-128 non-conference victory over visiting Allegheny College (2-5).
Westminster broke the school single-game scoring record of 131 points and the school scoring record for both teams of 232, both set in the season opener against Hiram (131-101) on Nov. 19. The Titans also set a new first half scoring mark with 75 points, breaking the old record of 69 set on two occasions. Allegheny also set a new school single-game scoring record with 128 points in defeat.
The Gators jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead in the first 1:37 as Westminster missed its first eight shots, but the Titans overtook Allegheny at 33-31 with 11:18 to go in the half and steadily built a 21-point lead (75-54) at the half. After building the lead to 24 points (82-58) early in the second half, Westminster held a double-digit lead through most of the period. Trailing by 19 (123-104) with 5:26 to play, the Gators put together a late rally with a 22-8 run to cut the lead to five (131-126) with 24 seconds left. Allegheny then made a defensive stop and attempted a three-pointer with 12 seconds left which would have cut the lead to two points, but the trey attempt failed and the Titans hit a pair of free throws to put the game out of reach.
Six Titans reached double figures in scoring, led by junior forward Dom Joseph (New Castle/New Castle H.S.) with a team-high 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field. Junior guard Mark DeMonaco (New Castle/New Castle H.S.) added 23 points (including seven three-pointers) and a team-best eight assists. Senior guards Chris Hatch (Canfield, OH/South Range H.S.) and Ed Pagley (New Castle/New Castle H.S.) added 18 and 17 points, respectively. Junior guard Brian Fadden (New Castle/Mohawk H.S.) and freshman guard Craig Hannon (New Castle/Union H.S.) each added 10 points, with Fadden also grabbing a team-best five rebounds. Allegheny was led by Casey McCloskey with a game-high 31 points and nine assists.
Both teams had outstanding shooting nights, as Allegheny shot 63 percent (55-of-87) from the field while Westminster connected at a 51 percent clip (51-of-101).
The Gators outrebounded the Titans 55-34, but Allegheny committed 34 turnovers, including 25 in the opening half.
Westminster looks to continue its winning ways this Saturday (Dec. 11) with a non-conference game at Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, Pa., beginning at 3 p.m.
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is ranked among national leaders in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Guide to America’s Best Colleges, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of “The Best 357 Colleges” and “Best 115 in the Mid-Atlantic” by The Princeton Review, and was recognized by the Templeton Guide as a “Character Building College.”
Nearly 1,600 students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty, while choosing from 40 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa. campus.