SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.V.- Looking to run its winning streak to 11 in a row, the West Chester University men's basketball team (11-2, 6-0) traveled to Shepherd (8-5, 4-2) on Friday evening for its 2025 and PSAC East opener. West Chester grabbed a six-point lead heading into the halftime break and used this advantage to post a 55-47 victory over Shepherd on Friday night.
Davante Dennis (Baltimore, Md./Red Lion) scored 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field, while
Joshua Walker (Upper Marlboro, Md./Riverdale Baptist) nearly picked up another double-double, finishing with nine points and 13 rebounds. Walker was one of three Golden Rams with nine points, and
Dylan Blair (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) and
Elijah Allen (Dover, Del./Dover) added nine each.
West Chester shot just 33.8 % (23-of-68) from the field in the victory, including a 4-for-21 (19.0 %) effort from three-point range. West Chester also shot 55.6 % (5-of-9) from the stripe.
West Chester trailed only briefly in the early stages of the first half but used a mid-half run to erase the deficit and capture the eight-point victory to remain unbeaten in PSAC East play. This win gave West Chester a two-game lead atop the PSAC East, with every other team in the Division having at least two losses to this point in the 2024-25 season.
West Chester ended the game with a 46-39 rebounding lead, including a 16-8 lead on the offensive glass. This eight-rebound advantage on the offensive glass led to a 19-8 lead in second-chance points while also ending the game with a 32-22 lead in points in the paint.
West Chester slipped out to a 16-12 lead with just over 10 minutes to play in the first half before both teams went scoreless over the next six minutes. Blair halted the drought with a jumper with 4:05 to play, which also stretched the lead to 18-12 late in the first half.
Blair followed this up with a made three just over 30 seconds later, extending the lead to 21-12 as the host Rams struggled to find their footing offensively after trading baskets with West Chester through the first 10 minutes. Shepherd finally halted the Golden Ram run with a Jarrod Robinson layup with just over three minutes remaining in the first half.
West Chester carried a 24-18 lead into the halftime break, as West Chester shot 25.7 % (9-of-35) from the field. West Chester also went 3-for-14 (21.4 %) from three-point range, including the late make by Blair.
Shepherd had similar struggles in the first half, shooting 27.6 % (8-of-30) from the field, including an 0-for-12 effort from three-point territory.
West Chester and Shepherd traded baskets early in the second half as the visiting Golden Rams held a 41-29 lead with just under 10 minutes to play.
Shepherd responded with an 11-6 run over the next five-and-a-half minutes, which cut the lead to 47-40 before
Elijah Allen (Dover, Del./Dover) stretched the lead back to nine (49-40) with four minutes to play.
Moro Osumanu (Reading, Pa./Reading) scored his first points of the night with just under four minutes to play, which extended the lead to 51-40 before a Marcus Banks three cut the Golden Ram lead back to eight.
Down the stretch, West Chester held off Shepherd for the 55-47 victory over the homestanding Rams.
Shepherd shot 27.5 % (14-for-51) from the field, including a 2-for-22 (9.1 %) effort from three-point range. Shepherd was effective at the line going 17-for-19 (89.5 %) at the stripe in the loss.
Despite the loss, Banks led all scorers with 18 points, while Robinson finished with 12 points and nine rebounds.
West Chester also ended the game with a 9-6 lead in points off the bench and points off turnovers while also finishing the night with a 6-2 lead in points off the break.
Up Next:
West Chester will be back in action on Monday night against Lock Haven beginning at 7:30 p.m.
