BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – Geneva's men's basketball team found themselves in an early 16-point deficit against Baldwin Wallace University on Wednesday night and could not come from behind to steal the victory. A late push from the Golden Tornadoes brought the men within ten points, but the deficit never got below double digits and the visitors won 83-68. The men fall to 0-2 on the young season, while the Yellow Jackets move up to 2-2.

Baldwin Wallace opened the game with two three-pointers, and after graduate student Ryan Rachic hit a tough layup they knocked down another to go up 9-2. Their hot shooting continued as they built up an 18-2 lead, putting the GTs in a deep hole right at the beginning of the game.

Two layups by junior Jonathan Bertovich finally got the Geneva offense going a little bit, but the Golden Tornadoes still struggled to stop the visitors on the opposite end as the Yellow Jackets maintained a 28-12 advantage with eight minutes to play in the half. Senior Payton Triplett hit a three-pointer and senior Mark Rachic scored a couple of layups toward the end of the half, but Geneva couldn't get the deficit below 13 points and went into the break down 43-27.

The men had a sluggish start to the second half as well, as BWU came out of the break with a 15-8 run. The Yellow Jackets built their advantage up to 26 points with 14 minutes to play, but the GTs responded and began to cut into the lead. Freshman Tommy Coletti splashed a three-pointer, and Triplett got a couple of good looks in close to the rim. Baldwin Wallace found itself in foul trouble at that point as well, and both Rachic brothers took advantage by getting to the charity stripe.

A three-pointer from Triplett with 3:53 to play made it a ten-point game, with the visitors leading 76-66, but that was where the momentum ended for Geneva. BWU closed on a 7-2 run, squashing any comeback hopes the GTs had in the process. The Yellow Jackets took the victory 83-68.

Ryan Rachic again led Geneva, scoring 17 points and grabbing seven boards. Close behind him were Triplett with 16 points and six rebounds, and Bertovich, with 12 points, five boards, and two blocks. Mark Rachic also contributed 11 points and seven rebounds. As a team, Geneva shot just 37% from the field, including a lackluster five-for-twenty-two from three-point range.

Myles Reynolds led the Yellow Jackets with 21 points, followed by a 20-point effort from Ray Ellington. BWU shot eight-for-nineteen from behind the arc and 50% overall from the field.

"That was a pretty good Baldwin Wallace team," said Head Coach Jeff Santarsiero. "Our shooting woes are kind of catching up to us a little bit. I was proud of the guys in the second half, we were down 26 and then we cut it to ten with four minutes remaining, but then we let them get their lead back. We'll get some rest and watch some film, and then get ready for Waynesburg. Those are the games we need to win."

The GTs begin Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play on Saturday when they take on Waynesburg at 3:30 PM. Prior to the game, there will be a banner and ring ceremony to honor the Golden Tornadoes' team from last season that won the PAC championship.

Through purposeful learning in a community reflecting the full spectrum of God's kingdom, a Geneva College experience inspires students to discover a faith-life calling in service to God and neighbor. Offering 195+ traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality and affordability. Geneva was founded and is governed by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) and is a founding member of both the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the International Association for Christian Education (IACE).