MANSFIELD, PA (January 20, 2010) – The second-ranked Kutztown University men's basketball team dropped a 94-87 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division game to Mansfield University at raucous Decker Gym Wednesday night. (BOXSCORE)
It was the first defeat of the 2009-10 season for Kutztown (14-1 overall, 2-1 PSAC East) The loss ended Kutztown's 15-game PSAC East winning streak. With the victory, Mansfield (12-4, 3-0) moves into sole possession of first place in the PSAC East. It was a see-saw game with the teams combining for 19 lead changes and 14 ties.
Senior guard and Division II national player of the year candidate Stephen Dennis inched closer to becoming the second player in KU history to score 2,000 points. Dennis scored 36 points and upped his career point scoring total to 1,996 points. He needs 22 points to become Kutztown's all-time leading scorer in school history. Dave Ben, who established the mark last year, has 2,017 points.
It was the third consecutive game in which Dennis scored 35 or more points and sixth time this season he finished with at least 30 points. The PSAC's leading scorer, Dennis increased his scoring average from 26.5 points to 27.1. Dennis entered the game as the nation's second leading scorer.
Junior forward Ryan Washington contributed his ninth double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Junior guard Julius Gray scored 11 of his 14 points after intermission. Junior guard Steve Coffey, playing for the first time since Dec. 5, added six points and sank a 3-pointer that gave the Golden Bears their final lead of the game, 87-85, with 1 minute, 14 seconds remaining.
Behind the rebounding and scoring of Yusef Carr and slashing ability of Ryan Callahan, Mansfield never let Kutztown pull away. Carr led four Mountaineer players in double figures with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Callahan, who scored Mansfield's final nine points, finished with 25 points. Together, Carr and Callahan were a combined 29-for-33 from the free-throw line. Derrison Anthony and Chris Pender added 14 points for the Mountaineers.
After Coffey's 3-pointer, Callahan tied the game with a layup eight seconds later. Following a KU turnover, Callahan gave Mansfield the lead for good, 88-87, with a foul shot with 36 seconds remaining. The Golden Bears had a chance to take the lead but it was not meant to be as Mansfield secured the rebound off of a missed shot.
Even when Callahan sank two foul shots with nine seconds remaining extending Mansfield's advantage to 90-87, the Golden Bears still had one final chance to send the game to overtime. Unfortunately for Mansfield, it blocked a 3-point shot and came up with the loose ball with nine seconds remaining.
Kutztown led twice in the first half, 3-0 when Gray opened the game with a 3-pointer on the Golden Bears' opening possession and 18-17 following a Dennis foul shot with 12:01 remaining. Mansfield carried a 45-39 lead into intermission and extended its advantage to eight points on a couple of occasions early in the second half.
The Golden Bears' largest advantage of the game was three points. Once KU pulled ahead, 54-53, with 15:56 remaining, the game featured nine ties and 11 lead changes in a furious fight to the finish. Neither team led by more than four points until one second remained in the game when Callahan closed out the game by making four straight foul shots.
Kutztown returns to action Saturday afternoon when it hosts Shippensburg University beginning at 3 p.m. The game can be heard live on WEEU (830-AM) and on the Golden Bear Radio Network, which will simulcast the game. Mansfield visits West Chester.
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