Men’s Basketball: Titans Take Down Defending PAC Champs Grove City

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – The Westminster men’s basketball team won, 78-68, over the defending Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Champions Grove City at home Saturday afternoon. Titan senior Daniel Ritter (North Lima, OH / South Range) led the way with a game-high 30 points - his second 30-point performance of the season.

Ritter, who is the only PAC player to at least score 30 points this season, shot over 50% from the floor (10-17) and added seven rebounds. Also scoring in double-digits for the Titans were junior Tyler James (Youngstown, OH / Warren JFK), who tied a season-high with 17 points and grabbed 10 boards for his third double-double of the year, and first-year Reese Leone (Beloit, OH / West Branch) who knocked down 13 points. Senior Isaac Stamatiades (Elkridge, MD / Avalon) registered a game-high 11 rebounds and nine points, just shy of earning his ninth-straight double-double.

The first 10 minutes of the game was a back-and-forth tight contest. Grove City (1-2) was up 15-12 with 10:51 on the clock, however, Westminster (5-1) mustered a 12-0 run to take a 24-15 lead, capped off with Stamatiades draining two free throws. Grove City got within four points (26-22) of the Titans’ lead, however, Westminster would not let the Wolverines get any closer and had a double-digit lead of 34-24 at halftime.

In the second half, Grove City tried to fight back and got within seven points (67-60) with four minutes left, however, the Titans did not let the Wolverines get any closer, responding with a 5-0 run. Ritter caught fire in the second frame with 20 points (8-12), including a game-high three threes.

Sophomore Austin O'Hara (Girard, OH / Girard) tied a game-high with four assists, to go along with three points and four rebounds. Senior Josh Hutcherson (Uniontown, OH / Uniontown Lake) added four points and four rebounds. First-year Andrew Clark (New Middletown, OH / Springfield Local) added a bucket. James also had the best plus-minus with a plus 10.

Westminster will next play Geneva (5-1) on Wednesday, Feb. 24 for its final road regular season of the year. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. It’ll be a matchup between the top two teams in the PAC standings.

For more Westminster Athletics news, go to westminster.edu/athletics. 

*Written by Nathan LaRiccia, Sports Information Director

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