You Won't Believe How This Underdog College Basketball Team Shocked Everyone with Their PAC Opener!

In a thrilling opening to the Presidents Athletic Conference (PAC) season, Washington & Jefferson (W&J) showcased its basketball prowess with an impressive 86-71 victory over Chatham University on Wednesday. This win marks W&J's first conference game of the season, bringing their overall record to 6-2, with a solid start to PAC play at 1-0.

Leading the charge for W&J was Matthew Carte, who scored 21 points, demonstrating his offensive skill throughout the game. He was well-supported by teammates Quinton Burlenski and Cameron Rowell, each contributing 15 points to the scoreline. The Presidents maintained control for most of the game, heading into halftime with a 37-28 lead. Although Chatham (0-1, 3-3) tried to close the gap early in the second half, bringing the score to 47-41, W&J responded with an 8-0 run that effectively sealed the game. Notably, W&J shot an impressive 49 percent from the field, showing their offensive efficiency.

On the other side of the court, Chatham's Jake TenBerge stood out with a team-high of 20 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome W&J's strong performance.

In other PAC action, Franciscan University claimed an 81-63 road victory against Waynesburg. Sawyer Butler led the Barons with an outstanding performance, tallying 21 points, 11 rebounds, and five steals. After a narrow 35-31 lead at halftime, Butler's contributions helped Franciscan (1-0, 5-1) stretch their lead significantly in the second half. Karl Yonkeu added 17 points, while Zachary Pollaro chipped in with 14.

Waynesburg (0-1, 3-5) struggled offensively, with Aiden Blake and Cam Danser both achieving double-doubles; Blake scored 19 points and secured 10 rebounds, while Danser finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and six blocked shots. However, the Yellow Jackets' shooting woes were apparent as they managed only 31 percent from the field and hit just two of their 19 attempts from beyond the arc.

In women's basketball, W&J's women’s team also had a strong start to their PAC campaign, defeating Chatham 61-52. Katie Kovalchick was the star of the matchup, scoring a game-high 22 points. The game saw a shift in momentum as W&J (1-0, 6-1) came from behind, having trailed 30-24 at halftime. A dominant third quarter where they outscored Chatham 19-6 proved pivotal, as the Cougars failed to make a single field goal during that stretch. Riley DeRubbo added a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Stellanie Loutsion also contributed 11 points.

Chatham's top performer was Hannah Chenault, who scored 18 points in a losing effort.

Meanwhile, Waynesburg's women’s team started off their conference play on a high note, defeating Franciscan 78-59. Leading the charge was Kalista Friday, who scored 15 points, helping to overcome an early deficit. Franciscan (0-1, 3-7) initially took control of the game, leading 26-8. However, Waynesburg (1-0, 3-4) countered with an astounding 34-0 run, scoring the last 23 points of the first half to take a commanding 31-26 lead into halftime. The Yellow Jackets continued their momentum into the second half, scoring the first 11 points to push the score to 42-26, while Franciscan endured a dry spell of over 12 minutes without scoring. Jazzlyn Melnyk led Franciscan with a game-high 16 points.

This week’s games are a promising start for W&J and Waynesburg as they look to build on their momentum in the PAC, showcasing talent and grit as the conference season heats up.