The Waynesburg University Men’s Basketball team took the first game of the two against  one of their fierce rivals, the Bethany Bison with a score of 87-80.

“We are starting to play better. We have a lot of new guys and are playing more people,” said head coach Tim Fusina on the team’s improvement after the 0-4 start. “We had some injuries and are starting to understand what we want to do on the floor.”

The Jackets started off to a slow start and were down at half with a score of 41-38. Waynesburg was shooting only 38% from the field, hitting 16 out of 34 shots, and three for eight from three, tallying 37%.

Waynesburg would turn things around in the second half and would shoot 47% from the field and 16 for 20 from the free throw line. The Jackets would also gather 46 points in the paint and out rebound the Bison 52-48.

Graduate student Antone Baker led the Jackets in points with 21, as well as rebounds with 19. Behind him was PJ Suggs who put up 17 points and was a key factor from the free throw line, going nine for twelve.

“After losing the first couple of games, we all had conversations with each other of what we could do to turn things around,” Suggs said regarding the chemistry of the team after struggling the first couple games. “I feel like these conversations really helped us bond together and improve on the small changes we needed to make in order for us to be successful as a team.”

Senior Korey Mitchum shot the best percentage for the team, going four for five from the field and hitting two three pointers. He was also two for two from the free throw line.

The Jackets would outscore the Bison 49-39 in the second half and would take the lead with 8:46 left, never looking back. 

“No, we understand how important conference play is for us,” said Mitchum on playing the rival Bethany compared to other opponents outside of the PAC. “[The] goal is to keep stacking wins and getting better as a unit.”

The Waynesburg University Yellow Jackets play their next conference game against the number one seed in Chatham on Dec. 4.

Fusina put it pretty simply on what he is hoping to see out of his team for the next conference game, “A win.”

The Jackets improve to 2-4 on the season, and 2-1 in the PAC, sitting at fourth in the conference.