Box Score

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The University of Charleston men's basketball team took care of its possessions and made shots when they were needed to drop Pitt-Johnstown 77-66 in second round action of the WVIAC Tournament. The win was the 13th-straight for the Golden Eagles.

UC (25-5) came off the opening tip with loads of confidence and it showed in their play as they attacked the basket with ease, while playing an aggressive press defense on the large Mountain Cat (15-14) lineup. UPJ outshot the Golden Eagles in the opening half, but it was the defensive effort forcing turnovers that made the difference as Charleston climbed to a 42-32 advantage going into the break. Pitt-Johnstown struggled with the physical play inside with 10 first half turnovers.

Conference Player of the Year Paul "PJ" Reyes (Taylor, Mich.) came alive when it was needed into the second half to fill up the scorebook with 14 points in the period. Reyes concluded the game with 20 total points that included a lightning quick spinning layup in the lane and a game sealing breakaway slam.

UPJ was unable to make any headway into the Golden Eagle lead in the second half as Reyes and crew hit 15-of-41 attempts and held the outside comeback efforts of the Mountain Cats to just 38 percent.

Reyes led all scorers on the afternoon followed by a 14 point effort from Evan Faulkner (Sandyhook, Ky.). Xavier Humphrey (Wake Forest, N.C.) continued to log strong minutes off the bench wit 10 points and five rebounds in 22 minutes.

For their part, Eladio Espinosa (Norlina, N.C.) and Brandon Ross (Chicago, Ill.) had great performances in the paint to slow the big presence of Patrick Grubbs. Neither found big marks in the scorebook, but performed a vital role in UC taking the win.

Charleston advances to the semifinals of the WVIAC Tournament to face Concord at 6:30 pm on Friday, March 2. The Mountain Lions pulled off an upset of Atlantic Region No. 4 ranked Wheeling Jesuit in overtime just prior to the UC-UPJ contest.