WEST CHESTER, Pa.- The West Chester University men's basketball team (7-2, 1-1) returned home on Saturday afternoon to take on 15
th-ranked Gannon (9-1, 3-0) for its second PSAC Crossover battle of the year. Looking to avoid its first home regular-season loss since February 2024, West Chester fell to Gannon by a 101-76 final.
West Chester found itself behind early and trailed by as many as 28 late in the second half before falling to the Golden Knights in Hollinger Field House on Saturday afternoon.
Gannon started the game on a 5-0 run and used the early momentum to jump out to a 16-5 lead over the Golden Rams with four minutes played in the first half. West Chester roared back with a 12-4 run to cut the Gannon lead to 20-17 with 11:37 to play as the first half hit its second media timeout.
Out of the second media timeout, Gannon outscored its hosts 7-1, including a fast break layup by Lucas Morgan, which prompted another quick timeout by the Golden Rams. Gannon continued to dominate the first half, stretching its lead to as many as 16 with under eight minutes to play before carrying a 45-32 lead into the halftime break.
West Chester shot just 38.5 % (10-of-26) from the field and 16.7 % (1-of-6) from three-point range. Perhaps most concerning was the Golden Rams 55.0 % (11-of-20) from the free throw line.
Dylan Blair (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) led West Chester in scoring in the first half with eight points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field, while Pace Prosser led Gannon in scoring with nine points.
Gannon shot 44.1 % (15-of-34) from the field, including a 5-for-13 (38.5 %) effort from three-point range, while also going 10-for-13 (76.9 %) from the free throw line.
At halftime, West Chester paused to take part in the PSAC 75
th Anniversary Celebration as Commissioner Steve Murray was on hand to present Director of Athletics
Terry Beattie with a commemorative plaque.
West Chester also invited back all of its 75
th Anniversary Honorees. On hand on Saturday afternoon were Dr. Eve Atkinson (Field Hockey and Swimming and Diving), longtime coaches Jamie Rudisill (Swimming & Diving), and Deirdre Kane (Women's Basketball), along with Matt Sandercock (Men's Track and Field), Julie Bowers-Glavin (Women's Track and Field and Cross Country), Victor Polyakov (Men's Swimming and Diving), and Steph Kienle (Women's Lacrosse).
Led by six points from
Ruben Rodriguez Jr. (Reading, Pa./Reading), West Chester clawed its way back into the game early in the second half, cutting the deficit to 51-46 with 16 minutes to play.
Down just five, West Chester was as close as it could get, as Gannon, using a 12-0 run, stretched its lead to as many as 28 with under six-and-a-half minutes to play en route to a dominant 101-76 victory over the Golden Rams.
Today's setback is the Golden Rams' first regular-season loss at home since February 3, 2024, when the team fell to Lock Haven by a 78-77 final. It is also just the Golden Rams' second loss in Hollinger in the last two seasons, with the other setback coming in the PSAC Quarterfinals last March.
West Chester shot an even 50.0 % (19-of-38) from the field in the second half and ended the game shooting 45.3 % (29-of-64) from the field, including an 18.8 % (3-of-16) effort from beyond the arc, while also going 15-for-28 (53.6 %) at the free throw line.
Gabe Moss (Pottstown, Pa./The Hill School) led West Chester in scoring with 11 points and was one of three Golden Rams in double figures. Rodriguez Jr. and
Dinari Boykin (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley) added 10 points each in the loss. Boykin and Rodriguez Jr. also tied with
Gavin Dalen (Milford, Ohio/Milford) for the team lead in rebounds with six each, while Rodriguez Jr. and Blair tied for the team lead in assists with five each.
Mackenzie Morgan led Gannon in scoring with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field and was one of five Golden Knights in double figures in the victory over the homestanding Golden Rams.
Gannon shot a stellar 56.8 % (21-of-37) from the field in the second half and finished the game shooting 50.7 %(36-of-71) from the field, including an 8-for-26 (30.8 %) effort from three-point range along with a 21-for-28 (75.0 %) performance at the free throw line.
Victor Desmond and Pace Prosser tied for the team lead in rebounding with six each, while scoring 10 and 13 points, respectively. Four of Gannon's five starters scored in double figures.
Despite the loss, West Chester ended the game tied with Gannon in rebounding with 41 each, including a 16-15 lead on the offensive glass. Gannon held in an advantage in all the superlative categories, including a 33-14 lead in points off turnovers (Gannon won the turnover battle 28-18), a 56-50 lead in points in the paint, a 24-17 lead in second-chance points, a 26-12 lead in points off the break, and a 36-28 lead in points off the bench.
Up Next
West Chester will be back in action on Sunday afternoon at home against Clarion, beginning at 3 p.m.
