GREENVILLE, Pa. – Freshman guard Matt Seidl (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) poured in a collegiate-best 32 points to help lift the W&J men's basketball team to a 101-94 victory in overtime Saturday afternoon at Russell-Beeghly Gymnasium.

The win is the third straight for W&J, who improves to 4-1 overall (2-0 PAC). Thiel falls to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the PAC.

The Presidents forged a 56-42 halftime lead behind some hot-shooting. W&J shot 15-of-33 (45.5 percent) from the field over the first 20 minutes. The Presidents connected on 7-of-16 three-point attempts in the first half. However, W&J went cold offensively in the second half, as they only converted 11 field goals in 34 tries.

A three-point field goal by J.R. Mazza (Bridgeport, W.Va./University) stretched the lead to 59-44 at the 17:55 mark of the second half. The Tomcats used an 11-2 run to trim the Presidents lead to 61-55 just four minutes later. Thiel extended that run to 22-5 with another spurt that put them into the lead at 66-64 at the 9:55 mark.

The Tomcats held the lead down the stretch. However, W&J was able to tie the score four times, including at 80-80 when Kyran Mitchell (Reading, Pa./Berks Catholic) made a layup with 1:05 to play. Mitchell gave W&J a one-point lead (82-81) with 15 seconds to play. After Thiel made a layup with four seconds remaining, W&J had one more chance. Beckett Connelly (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) split a pair of free throws at the charity stripe to force overtime at 83-83.

Mitchell and Seidl accounted for 16 of W&J's 18 points in overtime. The duo help propel the Presidents to the come from behind victory. Trailing by a 91-90 score with 2:28 to play, Seidl drained a triple and added a layup to put the Presidents in the lead for good.

Mazza had 15 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the three-point line. Mitchell added 13 points. Brandon Jakiela (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette) pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.

The game was a foul-filled affair, as the two teams combined to shoot 87 free throws on the afternoon. Both teams committed 28 fouls. Seven players fouled out of the contest. 

W&J hosts Westminster for a key early season conference game on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at Salvitti Family Gym. Tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m.