News Release

MARIETTA, Ohio — The Waynesburg College men's basketball team could not overcome a 15-point first-half deficit and were defeated by Manchester (Ind.) College, 58-77, in the championship round of the Marietta Shrine Tournament. Marietta shot .478 from the field in the game while the Yellow Jackets made just 35 percent from the field, including 22 percent from beyond the arc.

The Spartans jumped out to an 11-3 lead in the opening minutes in a game. Manchester would never trail in the contest or let Waynesburg tie the score and held a commanding edge in rebounds, 46-27.

Senior captain Ray Gillespie hit a jumper with 7:30 left in the first half to put the Jackets down by only six, 22-16. The Spartans responded with a 16-5 run in a six-minute span to give them a commanding 17-point lead.

The lead would expand to as much as 24 points in the second half. In that half, WC made just 3-of-16 attempts (18.8 percent) from three-point territory in an attempt to decrease the lead.

Gillespie and sophomore Marc Lodovico reached double figures for the Jackets with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Lodovico led the Jackets with seven rebounds and Beau Wilson added six assists in the loss.

Lodovico along with classmate Jeff Nero earned all-tournament honors at the conclusion of the tournament.

Lodovico averaged 19.5 points per game, including a career-high 28 points against Marietta, and shot .538 from the field in the two-day tournament.

Nero finished the tournament with eight points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game and 11 assists, 10 of which were in the win over Marietta.

Hindering the Jacket cause against Manchester was the bench play of the Spartans, led by a game-high 19 points from Jamaal Wade. Julian Guess also added 11 points off the bench, while two starters reached the double figures in the contest.

Waynesburg (4-6) will open 2005 with a 7:30 p.m. home contest against Penn State-McKeesport on Thursday, Jan. 6. Last season, the Yellow Jackets swept the season series against the Lions, including an 81-66 win at Waynesburg in which Lodovico scored a season-high 24 points.