TRAFFORD, Pa. (pacathletics.org) - Third-seeded Chatham University and fifth-seeded Grove City College clinched spots in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Men's Basketball Tournament semifinals with victories in the conference quarterfinals Tuesday night.

Defending PAC champion Chatham (18-8) was pushed to the limit before finally escaping with a 96-90 double-overtime victory over visiting sixth-seed Bethany College (9-17) Tuesday. The narrow win gives the Cougars a match-up in the PAC semifinals Thursday night at No. 2 Saint Vincent College (22-3) at 7 pm in Latrobe.

Thursday's other semifinal will pit the top-seed Geneva College (22-3) at home against Grove City (14-12). The Wolverines went on the road to fourth-seeded Waynesburg University (14-12) Tuesday night and led from start to finish in a 65-58 triumph over the Yellow Jackets. Thursday's semifinal tilt between the Golden Tornadoes and Wolverines in Beaver Falls will tip-off at 7 pm.

The two teams who emerge from the semifinals will meet in the PAC Tournament Championship game Saturday at the highest remaining seed.

Tuesday. Feb. 20 (Quarterfinal Round 1 - Pittsburgh, Pa.)
No. 3 Chatham 96, No. 6 Bethany 90 - 2OT
In a game featuring 10 ties and 12 lead changes, Bethany scored the final seven points in regulation to force overtime and then hit two free throws with one second left in the first OT to push the game to a second extra period. Chatham finally managed to secure the win by outscoring the upset-minded Bison 19-13 in the second OT and earn the 96-90 win in the first PAC Tournament overtime game since Geneva won an 80-78 contest at Saint Vincent in the 2018 Quarterfinal round.

There were no shortage of big scorers in this game, led by Cougar junior guard Simon Boyer (Hampton, Va./Hampton Roads Academy) with 29 points and graduate student forward Elijah Sutton (York, Pa./Dover) with 27 points, including 16 in OT, as well as 12 rebounds. Junior guard Blaine Gartley (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 18 points, nine steals, seven assists and six rebounds, with his nine steals tying the program's single-game record.

Chatham's semifinal fray with No. 2 Saint Vincent will be the third between the teams this season, with SVC winning the first two. The initial game was an 84-79 Saint Vincent win in Latrobe Nov. 15 and the rematch was also claimed by the Bearcats, an 83-66 decision at Chatham on Jan. 10.

The Bison had four players score in double figures in their near-upset, led by sophomore forward Cole Dailey (East Liverpool, Ohio/East Liverpool) with 21 points and 18 rebounds. Sophomore guard Tony Fox (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton) poured in 19 and freshman guard Colin Meany (Fairview Park, Ohio/Fairview Park) scored 18, including the two clutch free throws with one second left in the first OT to force the game to a second overtime.

Tuesday. Feb. 20 (Quarterfinal Round 1 - Waynesburg, Pa.)
No. 5 Grove City 65, No. 4 Waynesburg 58
Grove City hit a three-pointer just seven seconds into the game and never trailed in their quarterfinal at Waynesburg. The Wolverines had a 30-23 lead at intermission and extended that margin to as many as 13 in the second half. The Yellow Jackets did mount a late comeback behind a 10-1 run and were as close as four points at 53-49 with two minutes left in regulation.

Evan with their leading scorer having fouled out, Grove City held off the Waynesburg charge by going 8-for-9 from the foul line down the stretch to earn their first trip to the PAC Tournament semifinals since the spring season of 2021 when the Wolverines advanced to the PAC title game before falling to Westminster College.

Three men scored in double figures for Grove City, led by a 17-point outing from junior guard Chase Yarberough (Lititz, Pa./Warwick). Sophomore guard Mike Christenson (Oakton, Va./Trinity) posted a dozen points and sophomore guard Kyle Randle (Willowick, Ohio/Eastlake North) added 10 points.Yarberough and Randle also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds apiece.

Grove City will be looking for a second road win in the Tournament Thursday at No. 1 Geneva, who was victorious in both games in the regular season between the teams. The Golden Tornadoes were winners by a 68-44 count in the first game on Nov. 18 and the rematch in Beaver Falls on Jan. 20 saw Geneva come away with an 82-73 triumph.

For Waynesburg, who hoisted a season-high 24 shots from the arc on the night, junior guard Jordan McLoyd (Johnson City, Tenn./Science Hill) scored a game-high 24 points and senior forward Antone Baker (Maple Heights, Ohio/Maple Heights) dropped in 20 and grabbed nine rebounds.

2023-24 PAC Men's Basketball Championship Tournament Schedule
Quarterfinals - Tuesday, February 20 - campus sites
No. 5 Grove City 65, No. 4 Waynesburg 58
No. 3 Chatham 96, No. 6 Bethany 90 - 2OT

Semifinals - Thursday, February 22 - campus sites
Grove City (14-12) at No. 1 Geneva (22-3, 18-2 PAC) - 7 p.m.
Chatham (18-8) at No. 2 Saint Vincent (22-3, 17-3 PAC) - 7 p.m.

Championship - Saturday, February 24
at highest remaining seed - 7:30 p.m.