BETHANY, W.Va. -- J.R. Mazza (Bridgeport, W.Va./University) poured in a game-high 25 points and Kyran Mitchell (Reading, Pa./Berks Catholic) posted 15 points and 11 rebounds as the Washington & Jefferson men's basketball team recorded a 93-84 victory over the host Bethany Bison in the Presidents' Athletic Conference opener at the Hummel Fieldhouse. 

The win improves W&J to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the PAC. Bethany drops to 0-3 overall and 0-1 in the conference with the loss. The victory was the eighth-straight for the Presidents in the head-to-head series with the Bison. 

W&J was clicking on all cylinders offensively in the first half. The Presidents converted 56.1 percent from the field (23-of-41 shot attempts) and connected on 6-of-14 three-point attempts (42.8 percent) during the first 20 minutes of play.

The Presidents held advantages in points in the paint (54-36), bench points (32-23) and rebounding (49-34). Mazza had the hot hand from the start, as the junior drained 7-of-13 attempts from behind the three-point line. 

Mazza drained a triple to give W&J a 17-10 lead at the 14:25 mark of the first half. After a field goal by the Bison, Mazza connected on a four-point play. He drained a three-pointer and a free throw that made it 21-12 Presidents. Matt Seidl (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) knocked down a three-point field goal of his own to stretch the lead to 28-12 with 12:22 to play in the opening half. The Presidents maintained a double-digit lead for the remainder of the half. Mitchell completed a three-point play to bring the score to 44-28 at the 5:34 mark. 

Mazza sank his fourth three-pointer of the first half to swell the lead to 54-38 with 1:35 remaining. A layup by Michael Bigley (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton LaSalle) just before the first half buzzer gave W&J a 57-43 lead heading into the halftime break. 

The Bison would not go quietly in the second half. An early three-pointer by Chance Wells trimmed the W&J lead back into single digits. However, the Presidents countered with a 16-5 run, making the W&J lead 75-55 on a three-point play by Dirk Daniels (Phillipsburg, N.J./Blair Academy). The Presidents lead extended to 21 points (78-57), the largest of the game when Mazza knocked down a triple with 9:59 to play. The Presidents continued to lead for the remainder of the game before finishing off the victory. 

Seidl finished with 14 points to join Mazza and Mitchell in double figures. Daniels finished with a team-best five steals. 

The Bison placed four players in double figures in scoring. Cole Dailey led Bethany with 17 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks. 

W&J hosts Muskingum University for a non-conference game on Thursday, Nov. 17. The Presidents' home opener at Salvitti Family Gymnasium will tip off at 7 p.m.