Campus News
February 24th, 2026
Smith's game-high 17 helps Lakers top PSC
Garrett clinches 5th straight winning season under Coach McCullough
Garrett College head men's basketball coach Matt McCullough talks with the Lakers during a second-half timeout in last Wednesday's matchup with Allegany College of Maryland.
Keyser, WV – Reserve Lenny Smith scored all of his game-high 17 points in the second half Saturday night as Garrett College upset Potomac State College of West Virginia University, 78-69, in a key NJCAA Division II Region 20 men's basketball contest.
"He [Smith] just couldn't buy a bucket in the first half –he was making a lot of good plays for us, but just wasn't finishing at the basket," said GC head coach Matt McCullough. "Then he hit four straight ‘3's' for us at one point in the second half. He just got going."
Garrett (16-11 overall, 7-4 Region 20) won for the eighth time in 10 games while clinching a spot in the upcoming NJCAA Division II Region 20 championship tournament. In the process, the Lakers took down a 20-win Potomac State squad whose hopes for a top four seed – and a first-round home game – in the regional tournament took a big hit.
The win also guaranteed McCullough his fifth winning record in as many seasons as GC's head coach.
"The teams that have been able to do that [post a winning season every year] since I've been here are us and Howard," said McCullough. "You have to have a system. When you're recruiting guys, you're looking for guys who fit your system on and off the court – guys who are good, well-rounded people and good students."
Smith's 17 second-half points helped the Lakers overcome a six-point deficit in the final 11 minutes. His 3-point jumper with 8:04 remaining broke a 49-49 tie as the Lakers took the lead for good.
Nehemiah Johnson also played a key role for the Lakers, producing a double-double (15 points, 13 rebounds) while blocking five shots and dealing out three assists. Cory Harper (12 points, six rebounds) and Keyonta Johnson (11 points, six rebounds, six assists) also reached double, while Dechaun Reed added nine points.
"This was a big win for us," said McCullough, whose squad can clinch a first-round home playoff game if it beats the College of Southern Maryland and CCBC-Dundalk in its final two regular-season contests.
Jordan Taylor led PSC (20-7, 8-4) with 15 points while pulling down a team-high nine rebounds.
ACM 96, Garrett 94
Cumberland, MD – Jaylen Brown's layup with 1:16 remaining put the Trojans ahead to stay last Wednesday as Allegany College of Maryland erased a seven-point deficit in the final 2:09.
Brown scored a team-high 23 points and dished out a game-high seven assists for the Trojans, who also received 18 points each from Elijah Hall and Dorrell Little.
Petar Kos scored a game-high 24 points for Garrett. Five other Lakers reached double figures: Keyonta Johnson (15 points, eight rebounds, five assists), Dechaun Reed (13 points, five assists), Cory Harper (11 points), Nehemiah Johnson (11 points, nine rebounds), and Lenny Smith (10 points, four rebounds).
Women's Basketball
PSC 66, Garrett 61
Keyser, WV – Mya Glisan scored a game-high 18 points as four Catamounts reached double figures in Saturday night's home win over the Lady Lakers.
Ericka Zirk scored six of her 12 points in the final quarter for Potomac State College (19-5, 10-3) as the Catamounts broke away from a 49-49 tie after three quarters to earn the win.
Carly Wilt led Garrett (9-12, 5-8) with 12 points while Da'shai Morton-Hall and Jameriah Butler each added 10 points.
