The victory snapped a 12-game losing streak at the Grove City College Arena for the Presidents. W&J is also riding its first four-game winning streak in 11 years.
The two schools battled to five ties in the first 14 minutes of the game and the Presidents (10-17) took a 22-20 lead after a triple by sophomore guard Brandon Studer (Johnstown, Pa./Conemaugh Valley) at the 4:16 mark.
GCC (13-12) answered with a three-pointer by Shawn Carr, but Studer knocked down another trey eight seconds later for a 25-23 lead. Craig Hallman ended the first half scoring with one free throw with just over a minute remaining to cut W&J’s halftime advantage to 26-25.
Sophomore forward Matt Vorndran (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) hit back-to-back baskets in the first three minutes of the second half to up the lead to 32-28 and Studer and sophomore forward Patrick Stewart (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) drilled consecutive triples two possessions later for a 38-28 advantage.
Studer knocked down his fifth trey of the game with four minutes remaining for a 53-45 lead and sophomore guard Jon Koch (New Kensington, Pa./Plum) drained a pair of free throws 19 seconds later to up the W&J edge to 10 points (55-45).
Ryan Eller’s three-point play with 1:53 left on the clock brought the Wolverines to within 56-50, but the Presidents hit 11-of-12 free throws in the final 1:30 to clinch the victory.
Studer made 8-of-14 shots (5-of-9 three-pointers) and tied a season-high with 24 points. Vorndran added 15 points and six rebounds, while Koch notched a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards. Freshman Tyler Trutza (Bay Village, Ohio/Bay) also totaled nine points and a career-high nine assists. W&J shot 52 percent in the second half to finish at 38 percent (22-of-58) overall. The Presidents committed a season-low six turnovers.
Eller led the Wolverines with 17 points. GCC shot 38 percent (21-of-55) and held a 38-37 edge on the glass.
Bethany and W&J split the season series this year with each team winning on its home floor.