Drahos drove baseline for the game-winning lay-up in a contest that featured 12 lead changes and four ties.
W&J (7-16, 1-7 PAC) raced out to an 8-3 lead early on behind a pair of three-pointers from freshman guard Brandon Studer (Johnstown, Pa./Conemaugh Valley). The Bison (17-6, 7-1 PAC) countered with 10 unanswered points to assume a 13-8 lead at the 16:31 mark. The two squads battled to 11 lead changes over the final 16 minutes, but the Bison took a 46-45 lead into the locker rooms.
Bethany charged out to a 65-59 edge with 13:21 left on the clock after back-to-back triples and freshman reserve forward James Wallace (Bellaire, Ohio/Linsly) made it a 76-64 BC lead with 5:17 remaining after a lay-up.
The Presidents mounted a furious 17-5 rally over the next five minutes to tie the game, 81-81, after a three-pointer by freshman guard Jon Koch (New Kensington, Pa./Plum) with 28 seconds left. The Bison had a chance at the buzzer to win in regulation, but W&J freshman forward Matt Vorndran (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) blocked the final BC shot attempt.
Freshman point guard Anthony Hairston (Roanoke, Va./Roanoke Catholic) scored the first four points of the overtime period to give the Presidents an 85-81 lead, but sophomore forward Mike Drahos (Wheeling, W.Va./John Marshall) sliced the lead to 85-83 after a pair of free throws at the 1:37 mark and than Matt Drahos converted a lay-up 13 seconds later to force a tie. He then scored the game-winning basket with under five seconds to play and Studer’s heave from 40-feet at the buzzer fell short.
Matt Drahos scored a game-high 25 points and grabbed five rebounds for Bethany. Freshman guard Jim Deep (Aliquippa, Pa./Center) netted 16 points, while sophomore guard Josh Polantz (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont-Hilltop) added 15.
Studer led W&J with 21 points, while Koch posted 18 points and nine boards. Vorndran added 12 points, five rebounds and five assists, while Hairston notched 10 points and a career-high 11 assists.
Washington & Jefferson travels to Westminster on Wednesday evening for am 8:00 pm tip-off.