PHILADELPHIA, PA (November 5, 2009) – The Kutztown University men's basketball team enjoyed plenty of moments that will be etched into its memories during a 110-84 setback to powerful Villanova University in an exhibition at the Wachovia Center Thursday night. (BOXSCORE)
Junior guard Julius Gray (Lincoln University, PA/Oxford Area High School) (Lincoln University/Oxford) scored 23 points and senior guard Stephen Dennis (West Chester, PA/Henderson) (West Chester/Henderson) added 21 points for the Golden Bears. Junior forward Ryan Washington (Philadelphia, PA/Wissahickon) (Philadelphia/ Wissahickon) finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.
Dennis also handed out eight assists. Gray scored 16 of his points after intermission. He made three consecutive 3-pointers during a two-minute stretch of the second half. Overall, the Golden Bears outscored the Wildcats, 44-43, in the second half and finished with 16 assists on 29 baskets.
“I thought we competed hard and played well,” Kutztown head coach Bernie Driscoll said. “I was real happy with the effort. I can't thank Villanova enough for making this a special event for our players. Hats off to their staff and they ran a first class operation. I am sure many of the players will remember this for the rest of their lives.”
Things started well for Kutztown. Dennis gave the Golden Bears a 2-0 lead with a 13-foot jumper in the lane. Gray's short floating jumper tied the game at 7-7 with 16 minutes remaining the first half. Freshman Ivory Wells (Philadelphia, PA/Imhotep Charter) (Philadelphia/Imhotep Charter) drilled a 3-pointer that gave KU its final lead of the game, 10-9 lead with 14 minutes, 21 seconds remaining in the first half.
Meanwhile, Villanova missed its first five shots of the game before catching fire and pulling away.
Villanova is ranked fifth in the Associated Press and sixth in the USA Today/Coaches polls. Scottie Reynolds scored 23 of his game-high 27 points in the first half. He was one of five Wildcat players in double figures. Picked to win the Big East Conference, Villanova made 12 3-pointers.
Although it would have been nice to win, the Golden Bears gained valuable experience playing on the same brown hardwood court as some of the greatest basketball players in the world like Lebron James, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant. The Golden Bears dressed in the same locker room and walked the sacred hallways as every visiting NBA player.
“I thought the floor was going to be bigger and the baskets were going to be higher,” Dennis said. “But it was just regular. It was like playing at Kutztown except that the background was a little further. This was a real good experience for us and something I will always remember. I wanted to take pictures before the game but by the time we got here, it was time to get ready for the game. So now that the game is over, I am definitely going to be a fan and take some pictures.”
The Golden Bears soaked up the atmosphere when they walked into the 13-year old building. Players snapped pictures with their colorful cell phones. They gathered for a team photo. After Driscoll gave his pre-game talk, he even made a joke to the players about the game clock on the wall inside of the locker room. For many of the players, this was their first opportunity to play on an NBA floor.
There was plenty of electricity in the air as Villanova pulled out all of the stops during the pre-game introductions. After the Golden Bears were introduced, the house lights dimmed and a video-highlight montage of Villanova's incredible run to last year's NCAA Division I Final Four played on the jumbotron scoreboard high above the large red-white-and-blue 76er logo at center court.
“It means a lot to me to play here against a good team,” Gray said. “This is something I always thought about ever since I started playing basketball. We learned a lot about ourselves tonight. We know what we need to work on. We know we can play with anybody on our schedule after playing here. I think we played hard and handled their defensive pressure pretty well.”
Fortunately for the Golden Bears, they will not face anybody of Villanova's caliber in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) this season. They will open the season at home against Wilmington (Del.) University on Nov. 18. Expectations are high for the Golden Bears this year after winning a school record 28 games and advancing to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16.
Kutztown was picked to finish first in the PSAC Eastern Division. Kutztown is also ranked 16th in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and Basketball Times preseason.
However, before the regular season starts, each team member will cherish the experience of competing against one of the best college basketball teams in America. The moment even brought out the fan in Driscoll.
“When we were pulling up to the Wachovia Center, the bus driver was going beneath the arena,” Driscoll said. “I was wondering where the driver was going. It caught me off guard because we're just used to pulling up in front of the arenas and walking through the front doors. But overall, this was a neat experience. It would've been nice to win, but I am happy with my team's effort and I know playing here will help us as the season goes on.”
--KU--
