WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson men's basketball team won its fifth consecutive game Tuesday evening with an 82-66 win over Thiel in a Presidents' Athletic Conference game Tuesday evening. The win keeps the Presidents undefeated in conference play for the 2021-22 season. 

The win improves the Presidents to 9-2 overall and 4-0 in conference play. Thiel falls to 1-9 overall and 0-4 in the league. 

Four out of the five starting five players accounted for 76 of the 82 total points for W&J. The quartet of Michael Bigley (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton LaSalle), Nick Gearhart(Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon), J.R. Mazza (Bridgeport, W.VA./University), and Kyran Mitchell (Reading, Pa./Berks Catholic) all scored in double figures.

Mazza recorded 21 points with a 5-of-9 performance from behind the three-point line. Gearhart matched Mazza with 21 points of his own. Bigley and Mitchell added 17 points apiece for W&J. Mitchell pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to register his fifth double-double of the season. 

After falling behind 6-0, W&J answered back with seven straight points, which included a three-pointer by Mazza to take a 7-6 lead. The teams exchanged baskets before the score was evened at 21-21. The Presidents pulled in front at 27-21 with six straight points, all of which came on baskets by Gearhart. Consecutive baskets by Bigley and Gearhart stretched the lead to double-digits at 37-27 late in the first half. Five straight points from the Tomcats cut the deficit to 37-32 at the break. 

The Tomcats opened the second half with six straight points to take a 38-37 advantage. A Mitchell layup with 16:36 remaining in the second half gave W&J the lead for good. Mitchell scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half. The W&J lead grew up to as many as 18 points after Mazza drained another three with 19 seconds left on the clock.

W&J held a 33-11 edge in points off turnovers and a 26-15 advantage in fast break scoring. The game featured five lead changes and four ties. Thiel was led by Ahmad Tejumola with 13 points. 

The Presidents travel to Steubenville, Ohio on Thursday, January 4 to face off against Franciscan University. Tip-off is scheduled for a 8 P.M. start time.