EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa- Senior Shannon Givens scored 18 second half points, but it wasn't enough as the sixth seeded West Chester University men's basketball squad fell to No. 15 Indiana, Pa. the third seed, 75-68 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament's Atlantic Regional inside Koehler Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon.
West Chester making its first trip to the NCAA tournament since 2003 ends its season with a 20-10 record, the Golden Rams are now 0-8 in seven NCAA appearances.
IUP was led by first team PSAC West performer Mathis Keita with 29 points including 16-23 from the free-throw line. The Crimson Hawks hit 32-46 from the line West Chester was 19-23 from the line, with Givens hitting on 10-11 in the second half.
R.J. Griffin was the offensive star for West Chester in the first half as he hit three triples and was fouled on another making all three from the line to lead the way with 14.His three at the buzzer ended the first half as the Golden Rams scored the final five points to cut an 11 point deficit to six 37-31 at the break.
West Chester continued the momentum and Givens began to penetrate to the basket in the second half and the Golden Rams made it a two point game 43-41 on a
Matt Wiseley free-throw with 14:54 left. IUP went on a 7-0 run over the next two minutes and built the lead to nine at 50-41. West Chester kept fighting and Griffin made it a 60-58 game with 6:30 to play connecting on two from the line.
Cory Blake hit a three to make it a one point game with 5:47 to play at 62-61.
Six tree-throws from Keita built the lead to 67-62 with 3:27 remaining, the Golden Rams pulled to within one at 67-66 after Troy Hockaday stole the ball at mid-court and scored on a layup with 2:43 to play. Keita hit a three with 2:15 to play to give the crimson Hawks a four point advantage 70-66.
The lead grew to five a after a free-throw, then Givens then hit two free-throws to make it a one possession game at 71-68 with 24 seconds left. West Chester pressed and forced a turnover as Givens stole the inbound pass near mid-court, but his momentum carried him over the half-court line an over and back violation was called giving the ball back to IUP. The Crimson Hawks made four free-throws for the final score.
Givens, who scored all 18 of his points in the second half to lead West Chester, added six rebounds and a team leading three assists. Griffin finished with 16 and Blake led the team with seven rebounds and added 15 points including a bucket with 7:32 remaining to put him over the 1000 point plateau for his career, becoming just the 24
th West Chester player ever to accomplish the feat.
West Chester shot 22-60 from the field 36.7%, and just 5-19 from three-point range, while IUP was 18-41 for 43.9% from the field and connected on 7-17 from beyond the arc. The Crimson Hawks also held a 37-30 edge off the backboards.
IUP 24-4 will face the second seed No.7 West Liberty an 88-72 winner over Glenville State at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
