PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Chatham Men's Basketball (14-5, 9-2 PAC) won its eighth consecutive home contest on Wednesday night, defeating Bethany (8-12, 4-7) 87-73.
 
Senior Lovenson Xavier recorded his seventh double-double of the season, scoring 24 points on 10-19 shooting with 10 boards and 2 steals. Junior Drew Vizenor had 17 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists for the Cougars, shooting 4-9 from three-point range. Senior Jake TenBerge shot 4-7 from beyond the arc, netting 14 points with 6 boards. Senior Diaun Pinkett contributed 13 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals, and graduate student Zach Genther scored 10 points while shooting 4-7 for Chatham.
 
The Cougars led for much of the first half but could never quite pull away. A 15-5 extended scoring run capped by an Easton Fulmer triple saw them gain a 28-19 advantage. A TenBerge three-point basket gave Chatham a 38-29 lead with four minutes remaining until halftime, but two Bison baskets before the buzzer from deep cut their deficit to 5 points at the intermission.
 
The Cougars managed to take control on the other side of the break, as another TenBerge triple capped a 15-5 run in the first five minutes of the second half that gave Chatham a 57-42 cushion. Vizenor then got into the three-point party, and his third basket from beyond the arc in the second half put the Cougars up 76-59. Bethany closed the gap to 12 points with just over three minutes on the clock, but four free throws from Xavier and a fourth three-point basket of the half by Vizenor sealed the victory.
 
Chatham shot 45.5 percent for the game (30-66), its best percentage in its last six matchups. Additionally, the Cougars made 16 of their 17 free-throw attempts (94.1 percent). Chatham held the Bison to 38.5 percent shooting (25-65) after Bethany shot 44.1 percent in the teams' previous matchup on Dec. 12.
 
The Cougars will look to remain atop the PAC South on Saturday when they travel to Allegheny for a 3 p.m. matchup.