Box Score
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Troy Hockaday scored 17 points, grabbed a team high nine rebounds and dished out seven assists to lead West Chester to an 86-77 victory over Mansfield in PSAC East action Saturday afternoon inside Hollinger Field House.
The victory keeps the Golden Rams (14-6, 7-3 PSAC East) in a second place tie in the east with Bloomsburg (11-8, 7-3 PSAC East) who defeated Lock Haven (13-7, 6-4 PSAC East) 77-76 on Saturday.
West Chester carried a 49-40 advantage into the break with Hockaday and
Ben Mingledough scoring nine and
Shannon Givens adding eight. After the lead grew to 11 early in the second half, West Chester had to withstand a frantic second half comeback that saw Mansfield (4-16, 2-8 PSAC East) trim the lead to two twice in the final seven minutes.
Mansfield pulled within two at 64-62, on a Charles Pemberton layup with 6:42 to play. The game turned on a foul and technical called against Pemberton nine seconds later, it was his fourth foul and the technical caused him to be disqualified with his fifth, he finished with 16 and a team high eight rebounds.
Cory Blake made the two free-throws, and scored six points as the Golden Rams built the lead back to seven 71-64 with 5:11 remaining.
The Mountaineers continued to battle and cut the deficit to two with 3:43 left at 71-69, but again Blake, who scored 12 of his 14 after the break, responded with a layup and Mingledough hit a pair of foul shots to push the lead to six.
Hockaday pushed the lead to 81-73 with a pair of three point plays with just over a minute remaining. Joe Bell who led the visitors with 21, scored to make it 81-77, Mingledough and Shannon Givens, who each scored 15, hit five of six from the line to provide the final margin.
The Golden Rams continue its' three game home stand on Wednesday when Millersville visits on Wednesday at 7:30 for a key PSAC East contest inside Hollinger Field House. The Marauders (9-9, 5-4 PSAC) East defeated the Golden Rams 86-85, on a Brandon Brown layup with two seconds left, when the teams met in early December.
