COLLEGEVILLE, PA - Senior guard Kevin Breslin (Hagerstown, MD/St. Maria Goretti) scored a career-high and game-best 36 points as visiting Washington College recorded a 73-66 road victory at Ursinus in Centennial Conference men's basketball action at Helfferich Hall on Wednesday night. The Shoremen improve to 12-6 overall and 8-3 in the conference, while the Bears drop to 7-11 and 6-5 respectively.
The Shoremen also snap a 13-game losing streak at Ursinus as the team recorded its first win in Collegeville since February 22, 1999 when WC topped the Bears, 72-69, in a conference play-in game.
Breslin's previous career-high was 33 points set earlier this season at Muhlenberg on December 3, 2011.
Down by 11 with 5:42 to go in the second half, the Bears would go on an 8-4 run to trim the lead to 65-58 with 3:28 to go on a jumper by Jermaine Kamara. Breslin would answer with a jumper with 2:22 left to put WC up 67-58 and give Breslin a career-high in points at that point with 34. After a Ward lay-in with 2:08 left cut the lead to 67-60, Olsen sank a long two-pointer with 1:54 left to make it 69-60. However, consecutive threes by Pat Vasturia and Matt Donahue cut the lead to 69-66 with 1:11 left. On the next possession, Breslin was fouled driving to the hoop and swished both free throws to make it 71-66 with 37 seconds left. On Ursinus' next possession, the Bears traveled and WC got the ball back with 31.5 ticks left. Senior forward Chris Olsen (Ellicott City, MD/Mount St. Joseph)was fouled with 28.8 seconds left and made one from the line to make it 72-66. Sophomore forward Kevin Cunningham (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) blocked a three-pointer by Donahue and grabbed the rebound. Senior forward Adam Naymick (Hanover, PA/Delone Catholic) made one from the stripe to make it 73-66 with 16 seconds left. The Bears missed their next shot and the Shoremen ran out the clock to pick up their first win at Ursinus since February 22, 1999.
In the first half, after Washington scored the opening basket of the game, Ursinus responded with the next five points to take a 5-2 lead with 18:08 left in the first on a Jon Ward dunk. The Shoremen would reclaim the lead with a 6-0 run to take an 8-5 lead with 13:10 to go on a jumper by Breslin. The Shoremen would eventually build their lead to 19-13 with 7:04 left in the first on a Breslin three-pointer. Down 21-15, Ursinus would go on a 13-5 run to take a 28-26 lead with 2:27 left on a conventional three-point play by Ward. The Shoremen would close out the first half strong scoring the final six points to take a 32-28 lead into halftime. Olsen tied the game at 28-28 with 1:13 left and then Breslin stole the ball and scored on a layup to put the visitors up 30-28 with 59 ticks left. He closed out the scoring with a jumper from the corner with 16.5 seconds left to put the Shoremen up four at break. In the first half, Breslin had 22 of the team's 32 points.
In the second half, the Bears scored the first four points to tie the game at 32-32 with 17:34 left on a Kamara lay-in. The Shoremen scored eight of the next 12 points to take a 40-36 lead with 15:16 left on two free throws by Breslin. The Bears answered by scoring the next four points to level the game at 40-40 with 14:15 left on two Ward free throws. The Shoremen scored eight of the next 10 points to take a 48-42 lead with 10:16 to go on a jumper by senior guard Sal Schittino (Ellicott City, MD/Loyola Blakefield). Washington would push its lead to 53-44 with 9:04 left on a traditional three-point play by Cunningham. Breslin scored on a layup with 7:38 left to give the guests their biggest lead of the game of 12 points at 58-46. After Ursinus hit four free throws to trim the lead to 58-50 with 6:08 to go, Schittino drained a three to put the visitors up 61-50 with 5:42 remaining.
Olsen scored 13 points to give two WC players in double figures in the win. Breslin and Cunningham each pulled down six boards to lead the team. Schittino dished out a career-high and game-best five assists to lead the squad. The Shoremen shot 43% from the field, 22% from three-point range and 65% (13-for-20) from the foul line.
Ward had 19 points to lead the Bears, while Vasturia added 10 points. Kamara had a double-double with 14 points and a game-best 17 points. Ursinus shot 38% from the floor, 28% from three and 83% (25-for-30) from the charity stripe.
The Shoremen turned it over just eight times, while recording 12 steals. The Bears turned it over 25 times in the loss. WC had a 21-10 edge in points off of turnovers. Ursinus held a 45-30 edge in rebounds.
WC travels to McDaniel on Saturday afternoon for a 2:00 p.m. tip-off in conference action.