Mount-ing losses: Titans fall to 0-6

By Bill Albright

Chris Switzer hit a buzzer-beating 35-footer to lift the Purple Raiders.

NEW WILMINGTON — The Westminster College men’s basketball team continues to look for its elusive first win.

Monday, the Titans (0-6) dropped a tough 75-72 verdict to Mount Union at Buzz Ridl Gymnasium.

“We just do too many things wrong to overcome ourselves,” Westminster coach Larry Ondako said. “If we were doing the little things that we aren’t doing, we would probably be 4-2. But we aren’t doing them and that is why we are 0-6.”

Just as disappointed as Ondako was with the loss, Mount Union coach Lee Hood was elated.

“We were very fortunate to get out of here with a win,” Hood said. “We got into foul trouble and down the stretch, we couldn’t make foul shots and that is why we hang to just hang on.”

Twice in the first half, the Purple Raiders tried to separate themselves from the Titans, building up leads of nine six minutes in and 14 with five minutes left.

But each time, Westminster had an answer for their guests as they battled back to stay within striking distance.

Dave Pellerite who finished with 25 for the game led the Raiders in the first 20 minutes with 22.

Ryne Murray paced the Titans for the game with 24 points. He kept the Titans in striking distance in the first half with 12 points.

In the second half, the Raiders again opened up what seemed to be a comfortable lead of 14 points.

But the Titans staged a comeback that came up just short.

With less than 10 seconds left in regulation, David Richards took the ball the length of the court for a lay-up that tied the score with 2.7 seconds showing on the clock.

With Richards’ bucket, the Titans hoped to be headed to overtime. But it wasn’t to be as Chris Switzer, who had six points at halftime before finishing with 22, took a pass at mid-court and launched a 35-foot shot that drew nothing but net for the game-winner.

“You hate to see something like that happen to the team after they battled back,” Ondako said. “We just can’t get things to go our way.

“When we do something right at the end of the game [tying the score] and then a kid knocks down a half-court shot, that is just the way thing are going right now.”

Hood felt that the game-winner by Switzer was a perfect example of why you play for 40 minutes.

“You have to play the game until the very end and that is one reason why I am so proud of these kids,” Hood said. “They never gave up and that last shot is proof of why you always play it to the end.

“Westminster is a very good basketball team and we knew they were much better than their record would indicate,” Hood said. “They have had a lot of injuries and sickness and tonight was the first game they had all of their guys together. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and as things turned out, it wasn’t.”

Bobby Glass added 15 points and freshman Rob Briggs had 14. Murray added 11 rebounds.

For Mount Union, Switzer had 22 points and Luke Conley 13. Pellerite also yanked down 10 rebounds.

“He is a very talented young man,” Hood said. “He has a lot of basketball savvy and good skills. He is skilled and can shoot and those things make it very difficult to guard him. When he is making his 3s, he is a very tough guard.”