BLOOMSBURG, Pa.- Elijah Allen (Dover, Del./Dover) scored 21 points as one of five Golden Rams in double figures to help lead the West Chester University men's basketball team (21-5, 16-3) to an 86-74 victory over Bloomsburg (6-21, 5-15) on Saturday afternoon in PSAC East play.
With today's victory, West Chester earned at least a share of the PSAC East Regular Season crown for the second time in three years and now needs just one win in its final two games next week or another East Stroudsburg loss in one of the Warriors final two games to clinch the Eastern Division crown outright. At a minimum, West Chester knows it will have a bye into the PSAC Quarterfinals and host that eventual Quarterfinal matchup in Hollinger on March 5.
Allen was one of five Golden Rams in double figures in the victory as
Joshua Walker (Upper Marlboro, Md./Riverdale Baptist) and
Saleem Payne (Philadelphia, Pa./Phelps School) finished with 14 each, while
Davante Dennis (Baltimore, Md./Red Lion) and
Dylan Blair (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) finished with 13 and 12.
Moro Osumanu (Reading, Pa./Reading) led West Chester in rebounding with nine boards as the Golden Rams ended the game with a 43-19 lead in rebounding and a 16-6 lead in second-chance points.
West Chester shot 58.6 % (17-of-29) from the field in the first half, including a 6-of-9 (66.7 %) effort from beyond the arc to race out to an early 45-31 lead heading into the halftime break.
This strong first half proved crucial later in the afternoon as Bloomsburg shot nearly 52 % (51.9 %; 14-of-27) from the field in the second half to cut the deficit to as few as five midway through the half and trail by single digits with under two minutes to play in regulation.
Bloomsburg outscored West Chester 43-41 in the second half, but the Golden Rams closed the game well, going 17-for-19 (89.4 %) at the line in the second half to hold on for the 86-74 victory.
West Chester shot 47.5 % (28-of-59) from the field and 47.1 % (8-of-17) from three-point range in the victory while also going 22-for-27 (81.5 %) at the line in the victory.
Led by 25 points from Matt Bengel as one of four Huskies in double figures, Bloomsburg shot 46.3 % (25-of-54) from the field, including a 26.3 % (5-of-19) effort from three-point range in the loss. Bloomsburg also went 19-for-22 (86.4 %) at the free-throw line in the setback.
Up Next:
West Chester will look to wrap up the PSAC East and complete a perfect regular season at home against Millersville on Wednesday night beginning at 7:30 p.m.
