Box Score KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown University shot 55 percent from the floor and all five starters reached double figures in scoring as the Golden Bears knocked off visiting Mansfield 94-87 in PSAC East action at Keystone Arena.
KU used just six players in the game and did not make a single substitution during the second half.
Micah Fraction (Macungie, PA/Montrose Christian) scored 31 points to lead Kutztown. The senior point guard hit 10-of-21 field goals and was 3-of-8 from three-point range and a perfect 8-of-8 from the foul line.
Tyler Brooks (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) continued to show his versatility with 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting and added four rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals. All 15 of
Ryan Connolly (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton Area)'s points came in the second half.
Kenny Battle (Philadelphia, PA/Imhotep Charter) scored 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting and had four steals. Tracy Peal added 11 points and sank 5-of-9 field goals.
Kutztown also got a productive seven minutes from its only reserve,
Daniel Mack (Philadelphia, PA/Paul Robeson), who scored six points.
The game featured a remarkable comeback by the Golden Bears. Mansfield, behind the shooting of Charles of Becoats, took a 67-53 lead with 12:59 to go. Becoats had hit three three-point field goals in the second half and had 11 of the team's 16 second half points up to that point.
In the final 13 minutes, however, Kutztown nearly doubled its offensive output from the game's first 27 minutes. The Golden Bears poured in 41 points over the remainder of the contest and at one point outscored the Mounties 36-16. The end of that run gave KU an 89-80 lead after a layup by Fraction with under a minute to go.
Mansfield eventually pulled to within five after a three-point play by Chuck Harper with 17 seconds remaining, 92-87. KU was assessed a technical foul and had a chance to cut further into the lead, but Becoats missed both foul shots. The Mounties were forced to foul and Connolly calmly sank a pair of free throws with 15 seconds to go to ice the game for Kutztown.
Becoats led MU with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting and went 6-of-9 from long range. Joe Bell had a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. He went 9-of-15 from the field. Onyema Utti came off the bench for 12 points and Kenny Johnson netted 11. Harper dished out 12 assists as Mansfield had 25 assists on 33 made field goals.
Both teams shot well from behind the arc. Mansfield sank 10-of-20 (50 percent) from three-point range, while Kutztown hit 6-of-15 (40 percent).
KU attempted twice as many free throws as the Mounties in the game. Kutztown sank 26-of-34 attempts (77 percent), while Mansfield connected on 11-of-17 (65 percent).
The Golden Bears took excellent care of the ball, committing only eight turnovers in the game and held a 20-10 advantage in points off turnovers.
Kutztown will look to stay in the win column when Bloomsburg visits on Feb. 2 at 3 p.m.
