WEST CHESTER, Pa.- Riding a three-game winning streak after a win over Kutztown on Saturday, the West Chester men's basketball team (9-5, 4-4) returned to action on Wednesday night vs Shippensburg (8-6, 6-2). In what was its final home game for 12 days as the Golden Rams embark on a three-game road trip starting on Saturday afternoon at Clarion, West Chester fell behind early and managed to draw back within a point multiple times, but Shippensburg eventually pulled away for a 76-61 victory over the Golden Rams.
West Chester found itself in an early deficit, trailing by 13 points just a few minutes into the game but the Golden Rams were able to mount a comeback, eventually taking a slim lead early in the second half on a made jumper by
Robert Smith (Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) as part of a 9-4 run to open the half. This lead was short-lived as Shippensburg countered with a quick run of its own, erasing the slim deficit and eventually stretching its lead to as many as 17 points with 5:30 to play in regulation en route to a 76-61 victory.
Eli Barrett (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) registered his third double double in four games and scored in double figures for the fourth game in a row, finishing with a team-high 16 points and 11 rebounds while
Joshua Walker (Upper Marlboro, Md./Riverdale Baptist) added a near career-high, 14 as the lone two Golden Rams in double figures.
West Chester shot just 36.6 % (26-of-71) from the field and 31.3 % (5-of-16) from three-point range while also going 4-of-8 from the line in the setback. Rashon Johnson turned in a career night for Shippensburg, scoring 28 points to go along with 10 rebounds as the Raiders shot 44.3 % (27-of-61) from the field and 36.0 % (9-of-25) from three while also going 86.7 % (13-of-15) from the line. Dom Sleva, who entered play averaging a double-double finished with nine points and 11 rebounds while Carlos Carter came away with 19 points and six rebounds in the victory.
After trailing by as many as 13 early in the first half following the wrong side of an 11-0 Shippensburg run, West Chester began cutting into the deficit. First, the Golden Rams went on a 8-3 run, which saw them take the deficit from 15-5 down to 18-13, eventually trailing 20-13 with 11:20 to play in the first half.
As the half progressed, West Chester quickly found itself down by 10 once again, trailing 30-20 with 4:14 to play in the first half. West Chester countered with a well-balanced 9-0 run over the next two minutes to pull back within a point (30-29) with 2:14 to play. This prompted a quick Shippensburg timeout in an attempt to halt the Golden Ram run.
The final two minutes of the first half were relatively uneventful with just three points being scored between the two teams as Shippensburg took a 33-29 lead into the halftime break.
Carlos Carter led both teams in scoring at the break with 10 points as the lone player on either team in double figures while three Golden Rams had six points at the end of the first 20 minutes of basketball.
West Chester shot just 36.4 % (12-of-33) from the field in the first half and was 44.4 % (4-of-9) from three, which was pivotal in allowing the Golden Rams to erase the early 13-point deficit.
For Shippensburg, the Raiders shot 35.3 % (12-of-34) from the field and 35.7 % (5-of-14) from deep while also going 4-of-5 from the line to carry a four-point lead into the halftime break.
West Chester opened the half on a 9-6 run, which allowed the Golden Rams to pull back within a point with 15:54 to play in regulation. Shippensburg countered with a 14-4 run over the next three minutes to take a 53-42 lead over the Golden Rams and prompt a quick West Chester timeout.
Down the stretch, Shippensburg continued to extend its lead, eventually leading by 17 with 5:30 to play en route to a 76-61 victory over the Golden Rams.
In the victory, Shippensburg ended with a 44-41 lead on the glass, however, West Chester did end the game with a 12-10 lead in second-chance points thanks in part to a put-back dunk by Walker in the closing seconds of regulation. West Chester also ended the game with a 12-7 lead in points off the break, a 42-32 advantage in the paint and a 12-8 lead in points off the bench in the setback.
Up Next:
West Chester returns to action on Saturday at Clarion beginning at 3 p.m. in the first of a crucial three-straight away from Hollinger.
