Box Score
BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – Senior Lance McDowell scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead visiting West Chester to a 74-71 victory over host Bloomsburg in a PSAC East men’s basketball game inside Nelson Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon.
West Chester (13-9, 10-8 PSAC) swept the regular-season series with Bloomsburg (16-7, 12-6). The win was the Golden Rams’ fourth straight and seventh in their last eight tries. West Chester moved to within one game of second place, after both Kutztown and East Stroudsburg were upset. The top three teams in the East all lost Saturday.
The Rams’ Jaleel Mack drained a 3-pointer with 4:31 left in the contest to break a 63-all tie and give West Chester the lead for good. The Huskies drew within a point (66-65) with two minutes remaining. However, McDowell converted a 3-point play and then hit a layup following a Bloomsburg bucket to keep the visitors on top, 71-67. Jon Breeden then knocked down a pair of free throws following a BU turnover as West Chester stretched its lead to six.
Carl Johnson scored 12 points and Khalif Foster 11 for the Golden Rams while Breeden added 10 as West Chester put four players in double figures. Johnson added five assists and five rebounds to his line.
West Chester swept the season series against Bloomsburg for the first time since 2008-09. The Huskies had brought a three-game winning streak against the Rams into the 2011-12 campaign. Both West Chester wins over Bloomsburg came with the Huskies sitting in first place in the Eastern Division. The Golden Rams have now beaten the division leader in the East three times this winter as a result of last Wednesday’s upset over Kutztown.
West Chester travels to Shippensburg Wednesday evening for a PSAC East contest. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. inside Heigis Fieldhouse.
