GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Rebounding and taking care of the basketball have been keys for the Grove City College men's basketball team throughout the 2021-22 season. Monday night, the Wolverines excelled in both areas on the way to a 66-51 victory over visiting Saint Vincent in the first round of the 2022 Presidents' Athletic Conference Championship Tournament. 

The eighth-seeded Wolverines will now visit No. 1 seed Washington & Jefferson at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the quarterfinals.

Grove City out-rebounded No. 9 seed Saint Vincent 54-30. The Wolverines turned over the ball only seven times Monday night.

Junior forward Elijah White (Zelienople, Pa./Portersville Christian) fired in a career-high 20 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds to help lead the Wolverines. Senior guard Ben Rose (Helena, Ala./Helena) added 10 points and senior guard Isaac Thrasher (Grove City, Pa./Grove City) fired in three three-pointers, finishing with nine points. 

Grove City (10-15) closed the first half on a 9-1 run over the final five minutes of the half. Rose sparked the run with a jumper while Thrasher followed with a three-pointer. White swished a jumper and then closed the first half scoring with a dunk, giving Grove City a 29-19 halftime lead.

The Wolverines then broke open the game early in the second half by assembling a 14-2 run. Senior center Josh Brown (Enumclaw, Wash./Enumclaw) hit a jumper to start the spurt. Rose followed with a steal and layup. Thrasher and freshman guard Jonah Bock (Erie, Pa./McDowell) both bombed in three-pointers to continue the run. White gave Grove City its largest lead, 49-27, with two free throws and a putback.

Saint Vincent whittled the lead to 56-47 with five minutes left but a 10-0 spurt sealed the win for Grove City. Freshman guard Chase Yarberough (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) and freshman forward Ben Cano (Greenville, Pa./Greenville) both scored in the paint while Rose added a pair of field goals. Sophomore forward Jon Weir (Venetia, Pa./Quaker valley) capped the run with a jumper.

Sophomore forward Luca Robinson (Castaic, Calif./Hart) added seven rebounds for Grove City while Bock and sophomore forward Chris Brooks (Canfield, Ohio/South Range) each had five boards. Rose recorded five assists. Thrasher and White each assisted three field goals. 

Grove City finished the game 27 of 73 (37 percent) from the field. Saint Vincent went 20 of 56 (36 percent). Grove City limited Saint Vincent to four offensive rebounds. Saint Vincent had eight turnovers.

Nelson Etuk led the Bearcats (3-22) with 15 points.

Grove City will make its second trip to Washington, Pa., in a four-day span. W&J topped Grove City in Saturday's regular season finale, 77-55.