Bison Win Crucial Road Game At Saint Vincent

Feb. 15 – LATROBE, Pa. – Combining for 54 of the team's 85 points, Delonte' Joyce (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis) and Lawrence Weldon (Baltimore, Md./Poly) propelled the Bethany men's basketball team (19-4, 12-2 PAC) to an impressive 85-65 win over Presidents' Athletic Conference foe Saint Vincent College on Saturday evening.

The game started off neck and neck, as both teams traded the lead three times over the first five minutes.

Then with the game knotted up at 12-12, the Bison would go on the first run of the game, outscoring the Bearcats 24-8 over the next eight minutes to take a 16-point lead (36-20).

The outburst was all about the backcourt duo of Joyce and Weldon, who combined to score 20 of the team's 24 points over the span. Joyce notched 12 points, while Weldon tallied eight.

Saint Vincent would counter, however, going on a 20-6 run to close the half, trailing Bethany by only two points (42-40) entering intermission.

The first half saw the Bison go 17-of-25 (.680) from the field, with 15 baskets coming from inside the three-point arc.

Saint Vincent would start the second half strong, going on a 7-4 run to reclaim their first lead (47-46) since the opening tip. The run was capped off by a J.C. Howard put back at the 17:09 mark.

The Bison would not be deterred, however, as they outscored the Bearcats 39-18 over the next 16 minutes to cruise to the all-important 85-65 triumph.

Offensively the Bison were on the mark the whole game, shooting 34-of-54 (.630), including five three-point makes. They also distributed the ball well, notching 20 assists, which is their second highest output on the year (24 against Westminster on Jan. 8).

Joyce and Weldon were the stars of the show, combining for 54 of team's 85 points on the night. Joyce finished the contest matching a career-high with 31 points, while also registering five assists, five rebounds and four steals. Weldon was equally impressive, hitting 9-of-10 from the field en route to scoring a career-high 23 points. He bested his previous mark of 21 points, which he also set against Saint Vincent on Jan. 11.

Others who made their presence known were Leslie Addy (Columbia, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti), Kevin Jackson (Baltimore, Md./Walbrook) and Tyrone Smothers (Baltimore, Md./Mergenthaler). Addy scored 12 points and grabbed nine boards. Jackson, who missed the last three games, tallied 12 points and two steals. Smothers chipped in eight rebounds and five assists.

The men are back in action on Wednesday, Feb. 19, when they play host to Thomas More in a PAC showdown. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m.