STEUBENVILLE, Ohio -- The Washington & Jefferson men's basketball team used a dominant second half performance to erase a six-point halftime deficit and earn a 91-67 road victory over Franciscan University of Steubenville Thursday evening.

The victory is the sixth straight for the Presidents. The win improves W&J to 10-2 overall and 5-0 in conference play. Franciscan falls to 3-8 overall and 1-4 in the league. 

W&J boasted a balanced attack offensively throughout the evening. Nick Gearhart (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon) led the way for the Red & Black recording a career-high 28 points. Gearhart spearheaded the second half surge, as 20 of his 28 points came over the final 20 minutes. Gearhart drained all three attempts from behind the three-point line and was five-of-six at the free throw line.

Kyran Mitchell (Reading, Pa./Berks Catholic) recorded 26 points and career-high 15 rebounds to register his sixth double-double of the season. Michael Bigley (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton LaSalle) put up 14 points and added five rebounds for the Presidents. 

After falling behind 20-12 with 11:59 remaining in the first half, W&J went on a 10-0 run, which included two layups from Mitchell. Both teams exchanged several baskets and lead changes before eventually finding themselves deadlocked in a 27-27 tie. The Barons scored eight of the next nine points to take a seven-point advantage. However, the Presidents fought back to even the score at 35-35 on a pair of free throws by Gearhart at the 1:42 mark. The Barons finished with a 10-4 run to take a 45-39 edge into the break. 

Back-to-back jumpers from Bigley and Mitchell in the opening two minutes of the second half started the Presidents off on the right foot. The Presidents regained the lead and eventually took control with an extended 33-10 run in the second half.

Another basket by Mitchell gave the Presidents the lead for good at 46-45. A few possessions later, a steal by Mitchell set up an Isaiah Langston (Coraopolis, Pa./Cornell) field goal that expanded the lead to 51-45. The lead swelled to as many as 26 points in the second half, as Bigley and Gearhart combined to account for 30 points over the final 20 minutes. Bigley scored 10 of his 14 points while Gearhart tallied 20 of his 28 in the second half. 

W&J held a 27-9 edge points off turnovers and a 56-28 advantage in points in the paint. Despite the 24-point victory, the game featured six ties and five lead changes as the teams played through a back and forth first half. 

Franciscan was led by Sean Hickey, who recorded the game-high of 29 points. The Barons were plagued by turnovers in the second half. The hosts committed 24 miscues overall.

W&J is scheduled to return home on Saturday, January 8 to host Geneva College in a key conference matchup. Tip off is slated for a 1 P.M. at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.