WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The top-seeded Washington & Jefferson men's basketball team trailed for more than 36 minutes but rallied late to defeat second-seeded Chatham University by a 68-63 score in the Presidents' Athletic Conference Tournament Championship game at Salvitti Family Gymnasium. 

The win improves the Presidents to record to 24-4 overall as the Presidents' record-breaking season will extend into the NCAA Division III Tournament next weekend. The conference title is the first for W&J since the 1994-95 season. W&J will enter the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1993-94 when they advanced all the way to the Elite Eight. 

Okikiola Agbale (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) helped W&J turn the tide in the second half. The senior big man registered a season-high and game-high 18 points off the bench. Agbale converted all six of his field goal attempts and drained six-of-seven free throw attempts in the contest. For his efforts, Agbale was named the PAC Tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Joining Agbale on the All-Tournament Team were sophomores Nick Gearhart (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon) and J.R. Mazza (Bridgeport, W.Va./University). 

Chatham jumped out to an early 9-2 lead less than four minutes into the game. The visiting Cougars stretched the lead into double digits (18-8) when Nick Bomar made a layup with 12:53 to play in the opening half. The Presidents found their footing offensively midway through the first half. W&J used a 10-2 run to close the gap to two (30-28) on a three-pointer by Gearhart at the 4:43 mark. A steal and three-point basket by Malik Potter just before the halftime buzzer gave the Cougars a 38-32 advantage at the break. 

A three-pointer by Mazza brought the Presidents within a point, 40-39, less than three minutes into the second half. However, the Cougars continued to hold the lead. The Cougars claimed an eight-point lead (59-51) on a Potter jump shot with 9:18 to play. W&J scored eight consecutive points and pulled within one a layup by Agbale with 3:59 to play. After an exchange of made free throws by both teams, W&J took its first lead on a three-pointer by Mazza that made it 63-61 Presidents with 2:58 to play. 

W&J led the rest of the way from there. Following two missed shots and a turnover by the Cougars, Mazza was fouled on a three-point attempt and converted all three free throws too extend the lead to 66-61 with 1:25 left. Chatham made it a single-possession game after a layup by Potter with 16 seconds left but W&J converted two free throws to ice the game. 

Agbale (18 points), Mazza (12 points), Gearhart (12 points) all finished in double figures. Kyran Mitchell (Reading, Pa./Berks Catholic) joined them with his 12th double-double of the season, as he recorded 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. 

Chatham was led by a double-double effort by Ben Pollock, who scored 11 and added 11 rebounds. The Cougars see their season end at 21-5.