WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – Despite double-doubles from both
Frank Rokins (PLAINFIELD, N.J./ST. MARY'S) and
Jackson Hyland (AVONDALE, PA./KENNET) on Friday night, the West Chester University men's basketball team fell 80-72 to West Virginia Wesleyan on one day one of the MEC/PSAC Challenge on the campus of West Liberty University.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Bobcats (1-0) found their rhythm from deep early in the first half, as three straight triples put WVWC ahead 21-14 with just under 12 minutes to play in the opening half.
- Following a WCU timeout, the Golden Rams got buckets from five different players to spark a 16-0 run for the Purple and Gold and give WCU the 30-21 advantage with 8:14 to play.
- With the score knotted at 35-35, jumpers from Colin Daly (HAVERTOWN, PA./ARCHBISHOP CARROLL) and a triple by Matt Penecale (JENKINTOWN, PA./ABINGTON) propelled the Golden Rams in front 40-35 with exactly three minutes remaining in the first stanza.
- The Bobcats ended the half on a 5-0 run to square the match at 40-40 entering the locker rooms.
- The second half was a back-and-forth affair, with neither side being able to get a comfortable lead for a majority of the frame.
- After two free throws from Evan-Eric Longino (FURLONG, PA./GERMANTOWN ACADEMY) at the 47-second mark cut the WCU deficit to four (72-68), WVWC was able to slowly tack on points down the stretch until eventually pulling in front by double-digits (78-68).
- West Chester was able to keep it close in the waning moments of the game, but two free throws by Luka Petrovic would hand the Bobcats the big 80-72 victory to start the MEC/PSAC Challenge.
WEST CHESTER RUNDOWN
- The Golden Rams shot 27-of-64 from the field on Friday night and managed to convert on just five of their 20 attempts from beyond the arc.
- Rokins paced West Chester with 17 points and 14 boards on the night, to give the senior his first double-double of the season after leading the squad with seven double-doubles last year. Rokins' 14 rebounds on Friday were a career high for the forward and his 17 points against the Bobcats stand as the third highest scoring output for the senior in his career at West Chester.
- Hyland also tallied a double-double (12 points/12 rebounds) in the loss to give the senior just his second 10x10 outing since the 2016-17 season.
- Jawan Collins (YEADON, PA./ACADEMY PARK) handed out a team-high six helpers on Friday night and fellow guard Daly chipped in a career-high nine points on 4-of-5 shooting off the bench.
- Entering tonight's contest just 59 assists away from breaking WCU's all-time career record, Penecale failed to register an assist for the first time since December 19, 2015.
BOBCAT BREAKDOWN
- West Virginia Wesleyan sunk 13 triples against the Golden Rams, giving the Bobcats eight more deep balls than their opponent on Friday evening.
- WVWC's Dusan Vicentic led all players with 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting and the junior also added a game-high five blocks in the victory.
- Luka Petrovic's nine assists were the most on either team, while Clay Todd pulled down a team-high six boards to go along with 14 points for the Bobcats.
UP NEXT
- The Golden Rams close out play at the 2018 MEC/PSAC Challenge tomorrow, November 10, with a battle against host No. 2 West Liberty at 5:00 p.m. Both West Chester and the Hilltoppers will enter that matchup at 0-1 after West Liberty was stunned 107-97 by Kutztown to kick off the cross-conference tournament earlier today.
