PITTSBURGH, Pa. (pacathletics.org) - In Saturday's Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Men's Basketball Tournament Championship game, top-seeded Chatham University shot 52 percent from the floor for the game in claiming an 81-69 victory over third-seeded Washington & Jefferson College.

With the win, the Cougars (23-4) secured their third PAC championship in program history and second in the last three years. It also gives Chatham the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, with the selections and first round match-ups being announced Monday, March 3 at noon on NCAA.com. 

Saturday, March 1 (Championship - Pittsburgh, Pa.)
#1 Chatham 81, #3 W&J 69

The game began with W&J (21-7) scoring the first five points, but Chatham erupted after that, rolling off a 30-8 run. Fueling the charge was Diaun Pinkett, who scored nine during that stretch and capped it by blocking a three, grabbing the loose ball and going down for a lay-up to make it a 30-13 Cougars' lead with nine minutes left in the half.

The Presidents climbed back into the game before halftime, outscoring the home team 17-6 over the final nine minutes. The duo of Matt Seidl (seven points) and Alex Acosta (six) combined for 13 of the points, as W&J managed to cut their deficit to 36-30 heading into intermission. 

The W&J momentum did not carry over into the second half, as Chatham's Simon Boyer buried a three on the first possession after halftime. That was followed by transition lay-ups by Blaine Gartley and Lovenson Xavier and the Cougars' advantage was back up to 43-30 just 1:17 into the half. As midway point of the second half approached, another quick seven-point burst from Chatham, highlighted by a three-point play by Pinkett, gave the Cougars their largest lead of the night at 65-46 with 9:46 remaining.

As they did in the first half, W&J mounted a run to cut away at the Chatham advantage. A 10-0 run started with a tip-in by Cameron Rowell and featured threes by Seidl and Rowell, shrunk the Chatham lead down to 70-63 with 3:46 on the clock, but that would be as close as the Presidents would be able to get. After another basket by each side, the Cougars' championship win would be secured with strong free throw shooting, as they made 7-of-10 from the line in the final 2:25 to close out W&J.

Chatham's offense was especially efficient in the second half, as they made 63 percent (15-of-24) from the floor to finish the game 30-for-58 (52 percent). Pinkett posted another big game on his way to the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player award, as he finished with 21 points, six assists, three rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots.

Two others finished in double digits, including Boyer with 18 and Xavier with 16 points. Boyer was selected for the All-Tournament Team, as was Gartley, who totaled eight points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals in the victory.

Four players posted double-figure scoring nights for the Presidents, led by Seidl, who collected 20 points, seven rebounds and four steals. In addition to scoring 13 points, Nathan Plotner blocked three shots, Acosta dropped in 12 and Matthew Carte chipped in 11 markers.

2024-25 PAC Men's Basketball Championship Tournament Schedule
Quarterfinals - Tuesday, Feb. 25
#3 Washington & Jefferson 73, #6 Franciscan 62 - Box Score
#5 Grove City 69,  #4 Geneva 61 - Box Score

Semifinals - Thursday, Feb. 27
#3 W&J 87, #2 Saint Vincent 79 - Box Score
#1 Chatham 91, #5 Grove City 80 - Box Score

Championship - Saturday, March 1
#1 Chatham 81, #3 W&J 69 - Box Score