LOCK HAVEN, Pa.- Following an impressive victory over No. 9 California (Pa.) earlier this week, the West Chester University men's basketball team (8-5, 5-2) returned to action on Saturday afternoon at Lock Haven (7-5, 5-2) in its PSAC East opener against the Bald Eagles. West Chester held a slim lead at the half and led for just over half the game, but a late run by Lock Haven lifted the Bald Eagles to a 74-71 victory over the Golden Rams.
Robert Smith (Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) led West Chester in scoring with 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting, while
Jordan Kellier (Kingston, Jamaica/Redemption Christian) and
Elijah Allen (Dover, Del./Dover) finished with 15 points each. Kellier finished with a double-double once again, corralling a team-best 15 rebounds, while also coming away with four steals in the setback.
For Lock Haven, Collin Jones led the team in scoring with 18 points, 12 of which came at the charity stripe, while Justice Shoats had 16, and Isaiah Stewart finished with 14 of his own on 5-of-8 shooting. Shoats also tied for the team lead in rebounding with six dished out six assists and added seven blocks to help slow the Golden Ram offense.
West Chester raced out to an early 7-2 lead over Lock Haven, but the Bald Eagles countered with a 12-6 run to take a 14-13 lead with just under 14 minutes to play.
The hosts held a slim lead as the first half progressed, holding a 33-28 advantage with under eight minutes to play.
Trailing 35-30 with under six minutes to play in the first half, West Chester closed out the opening half on a 14-4 run, led by seven points from rookie
Saleem Payne (Philadelphia, Pa./Phelps School) and five more from Kellier to take a 44-39 lead into the halftime break.
West Chester shot 45.9 % (17-of-37) from the field in the first half, including 37.5 % (3-for-8) from three-point range, while also ending the half shooting 7-of-9 (77.8 %) from the line.
West Chester continued to hold a slim lead over its hosts throughout the second half, leading 56-55 with 7:33 to play in regulation as the two sides traded baskets. Lock Haven countered with a quick run, erasing the deficit and taking a 63-59 lead over the Golden Rams with 5:18 to play. West Chester countered with a short 4-0 run, evening the score at 63-63.
Trailing 70-68 with under one minute to play, Smith corralled a long rebound off a missed dunk and raced down the floor, hitting a driving layup to tie the score at 70-70. Drawing a foul in the process, Smith went to the line and restored a 71-70 lead for the Golden Rams, giving the Purple and Gold its first lead since the 6:57 mark of the second half.
Following Smith's three-point play, Lock Haven brought the ball up and called a timeout with 44.5 seconds to play. Collin Jones restored the lead for Lock Haven, converting a driving layup with under 25 seconds to play. West Chester nearly retook the lead off a driving layup of its own with 11 seconds to play, but the Kellier attempt was off the mark, and the subsequent offensive rebound by
Moro Osumanu (Reading, Pa./Reading) became a held ball, restoring possession for the Bald Eagles.
With no choice but to foul, West Chester sent Lock Haven back to the line where the Bald Eagles had struggled over the last few minutes. Lock Haven converted both free throws, taking a 74-71 lead with the game's final possession for the Golden Rams. Allen took a late three, hoping to force OT, but the shot was off its mark, and Lock Haven escaped with a 74-71 victory over the Golden Rams.
West Chester ended the game shooting 34.7 % (26-of-75) from the field, including 3-of-17 (17.6 % ) from beyond the arc, while also converting 16-of-21 (76.2 %) at the line. For its part, Lock Haven made four of its last five field goal attempts to secure the victory, shooting 42.6 % (20-of-47) from the field, including 42.9 % (6-of-14) from three-point range. The Bald Eagles also shot 84.8 % (28-of-33) from the line, going 12-for-17 at the stripe in the second half to complete the comeback and win.
Despite the setback, West Chester ended the game with a 46-35 lead on the glass, including a 21-4 lead in offensive rebounding, translating into a 23-4 lead in second-chance points. West Chester also ended the game with an 18-14 lead in the turnover battle, a 21-10 lead in points off turnovers, and a 42-16 advantage in points in the paint.
Up Next:
West Chester returns to action on Wednesday night against Shepherd at 7:30 p.m. in the first of two games in Hollinger Field House.
