ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE MEN'S BASKETBALL
Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Widener Rallies to Stun Elizabethtown, 88-77

Click here for the box score

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- After trailing by 25 points in the first half, Widener University outscored Elizabethtown College 64-30 in the second half to come away with an 88-77 victory in Commonwealth Conference men's basketball action on Tuesday evening.

Six players scored in double figures for the Pride (17-3 overall, 3-2 Commonwealth), with Matt Sosna scoring 18 of his game-high 22 points in the second half as part of a 68.8 percent shooting performance (22-for-32) from the field by Widener.

Senior Chad Piersol (Elverson, PA/Owen J. Roberts) led the Blue Jays (14-5 overall, 1-4 Commonwealth) with 21 points and eight rebounds while sophomore Mike Church (Peach Bottom, PA/Solanco) added 15 points, but 15 second-half turnovers proved to be Elizabethtown's downfall as Widener parlayed the miscues into 27 points.

The Blue Jays led 53-29 with 17:38 remaining, but the Pride went on a 27-11 run over the next seven minutes to pull within 64-56 with 10:41 to go.

Elizabethtown held its last double-digit lead at 68-58 after a layup by Piersol with 9:26 to go, but Widener used an 11-1 run to tie the game at 69-69 on a three-pointer by Nyere Miller with 6:18 left.

Widener took the lead for the first time since the game's opening minutes at 73-71 on a steal and layup by Miller with 5:07 to play, and finished the game on a 17-6 run to complete the 36-point turnaround.

After spotting Widener a 4-0 lead, the Blue Jays reeled off 12 straight points to take a 12-4 lead just 3:10 into the contest. Leading 20-14 with 12:29 left in the half, the Blue Jays went on a 23-4 run to take their largest lead of the half at 43-18 with 4:37 to go. Elizabethtown led 47-24 at halftime behind 14 points from Piersol and 10 points from Church.

Miller finished with 17 points for Widener, while Charles Jones added 13 points and five assists. Jamarr Johnson and Branden Washington each tallied 12 points for the Pride, with Bobby Edmunds tallying 10 points, eight assists and six steals.

Senior Mike Schatzmann (Paradise, PA/Pequea Valley) finished with 12 points and five rebounds for the Blue Jays, and senior Bryce Rodgers (Waynesboro, PA/Waynesboro) added 10 points and five boards as Elizabethtown shot 48.4 percent (30-for-62) from the field in the game.

WIDENER UNIVERSITY 88, ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE 77
WIDENER UNIVERSITY (17-3, 3-2 Comm.)
Matt Sosna 9-11 4-6 22; Nyere Miller 6-13 0-0 17; Charles Jones 4-7 4-4 13; Branden Washington 5-5 2-2 12; Jamarr Johnson 5-6 2-7 12; Bobby Edmunds 2-6 4-4 10; Chris McDevitt 1-1 0-0 2; Tavaris Smith 0-1 0-0 0; Jarrell Nelson 0-2 0-0 0; Craig Stewart 0-5 0-0 0; Tracy Jones 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 32-59 16-23 88.
ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE (14-5, 1-4 Comm.)
Chad Piersol 8-16 2-2 21; Mike Church 6-11 3-4 15; Mike Schatzmann 3-9 5-5 12; Bryce Rodgers 4-7 2-3 10; Phil Schaffer 4-9 0-0 9; Keith Fogel 4-9 0-0 8; Nick Kennedy 1-1 0-0 2; Ben Schlosser 0-0 0-0 0; Joe Flanagan 0-0 0-0 0; Jordan Dirago 0-0 0-0 0; Josh Houseal 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-62 12-14 77.
Widener University............ 24 64 - 88
Elizabethtown College......... 47 30 - 77
3-point goals--Widener University 8-18 (Nyere Miller 5-8; Bobby Edmunds 2-5; Charles Jones 1-2; Tavaris Smith 0-1; Tracy Jones 0-1; Matt Sosna 0-1), Elizabethtown College 5-15 (Chad Piersol 3-7; Phil Schaffer 1-1; Mike Schatzmann 1-4; Keith Fogel 0-2; Bryce Rodgers 0-1). Fouled out--Widener University-None, Elizabethtown College-Mike Schatzmann. Rebounds--Widener University 32 (Jamarr Johnson 7), Elizabethtown College 33 (Chad Piersol 8). Assists--Widener University 23 (Bobby Edmunds 8), Elizabethtown College 15 (Phil Schaffer 7). Total fouls--Widener University 16, Elizabethtown College 19. Technical fouls--Widener University-None, Elizabethtown College-TEAM. A-400