November 16, 2011
Balanced effort carries Grove City to win
ALTOONA, Pa. -- The Grove City College men's basketball team opened the 2011-12 season Wednesday night with a 94-71 non-conference victory at Penn State Altoona (0-1) at Adler Gym. The 94 points are the most ever scored by the Wolverines in a season opener.
Fourteen different Wolverines scored in the victory. Senior center Kris Verderber (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) and freshman guard J.T. Schwartz (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) both poured in a team-high 14 points for Grove City (1-0) while freshmen Brian Giesler (Harrisville, Pa./Slippery Rock) and Christian Locher (Mars, Pa./Mars) both had nine points.
Freshman guard Christian Durbin (Harmony, Pa./Seneca Valley) recorded eight points and distributed a game-high six assists.
Grove City trailed 11-9 six minutes into the game but the Wolverines took command with a 32-8 run. The Wolverines led 47-25 at halftime and led by as many as 33, 83-50, in the second half.
Grove City shot 55 percent (38 of 69) from the floor. Penn State Altoona converted 27 of 58 (47 percent) of its attempts from the field. The Wolverines forced 20 turnovers and committed 18.
Locher pulled in a team-leading seven rebounds, helping Grove City attain a 42-26 edge on the glass. Schwartz added five boards. He also recorded four steals. No Grove City player played more than 19 minutes in the game.
Jonathan Ross led Altoona with a game-high 23 points. Eric Sarra added 17 points.
Grove City's 94 points are the most for the Wolverines in regulation since a 96-85 win at Thomas More January 23, 2010. The previous school record for points in an opener had stood since 1966, when Grove City defeated Alliance 93-77.
Grove City will face Mount Union Friday at 6 p.m. in the opening round of Geneva College's "Coaches vs. Cancer" Tournament in Beaver Falls, Pa.
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