Box Score WEST CHESTER, Pa. – After pulling off a last minute run against Lock Haven, it came down to the wire yet again Saturday, this time with the Golden Rams having the lead and once again securing it down the stretch for a 56-52 win Inside Hollinger Field House.
West Chester (12-10, 11-7 PSAC) dominated inside the paint out-rebounding the Red Raiders, 36-27, with second-chance points coming in all shapes and sizes. The Rams eventually created a 10-point lead going into the half. Shippensburg (13-11, 11-7 PSAC) cut the deficit to as many as one (50-49), but could never get over the hump.
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Avery Brown (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape) led the way with a team-high 14 points, nine in the first half, to go with six rebounds and two steals.
Cory Blake (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) added 10 points, four rebounds and two assists to complete the double-figure scoring.
Ben Mingledough (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) added eight points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists.
Thomas White (Chester, Pa./Penn Wood) put eight points on the scoreboard as well in the victory. The Golden Rams remain on a six-game winning streak with four games to play before the playoffs.
Justin McCarthur recorded a game-high 16 points in the conference loss. Jay Hardy was limited to 11 points this time around, after scoring 21 points against West Chester in their prior meeting.
The 108 combined points in the game marked the lowest of the season for West Chester this season while serving as the lowest scoring game for the Golden Rams since the 2012 PSAC Semifinals against Indiana (Pa.) in Hollinger. West Chester and Gannon did combine for 109 points earlier this winter. After going 2-4 in games decided by four points or less at the beginning of the year, the Golden Rams have now won three straight games decided by four points or less, including back-to-back one-point wins.
Neither team shot better than 38 percent in the game. The six-game win streak for West Chester is the longest of the season and matches similar streaks from each of the past two years.
Head coach Damien Blair and his team will now go on a tough two-game stretch to redeem themselves over PSAC rivals Bloomsburg on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and first-place East Stroudsburg one week later.
