Men come back to beat Golden Rams

West Chester Golden Rams 73
Kutztown Golden Bears 78

Recap: For the second consecutive game, the Golden Bears came out flat in the first half, but managed to recover in the second frame. KU trailed by 10 at the break and by 11 with just over 11 minutes to play in the game, but managed a 23-10 run to take the lead in the late stages of the game. Roger White almost saved the day for the Golden Rams when he nailed a 3 pointer with 1:21 left to play, but Dave Ben countered with a trifecta of his own to seal the deal.

Telling Stat: The Golden Bears did not shoot well in the game, particularly in the first half when they made just 9 of 35 shots (25.7%). A strong second half earned them the victory, but West Chester was certainly more efficient from the field and from beyond the arc. So, what was the difference in the game? KU outrebounded the Rams 44-37, including 21-10 on the offensive glass.

Key play: Ben’s three pointer with 1:05 to play was the clear key play of the game. The Golden Rams had just tied the game, stealing away some of the KU momentum. Ben would have none of that, however, and answered with the game-winning bucket. West Chester still had a chance, but Kenneth St. George missed a layup and Stephen Dennis grabbed the rebound to put the Golden Rams to bed.

Most Valuable Golden Bear: Five Golden Bears were in double figures, but Dave Ben would prove to be the most valuable player when he nailed the game winning bucket. Ben was 6-of-14 from the floor for 16 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and chipped in with four dimes.

Least Valuable Golden Bear: No one played particularly bad in the game, so it’s tough to choose a LVGB here. Nonetheless, it has to go to someone. Steve Coffey played 11 minutes off the bench for KU and you barely would’ve known. The freshman did not get a shot off and failed to contribute with an assist, rebound, or steal. The only mark on his boxscore was 1 personal foul. If anything, at least he didn’t turn the ball over.

Impact: The win allows KU to keep up with the Cheyney Wolves, who took care of business against Bloomsburg. Both teams are now 6-1 and pace the PSAC East. West Chester falls to 2-5 and have a tough task ahead of them if they hope to qualify for the PSAC playoffs.