Box Score Kutztown 82, Clarion 80 (OT) (HTML Box Score)
CLARION, Pa. – Freshman
Austin Beidelman (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) scored 12 points in the final six minutes including the game-tying layup with four seconds left in regulation to lead the Kutztown University men's basketball team to an 82-80 overtime victory at Clarion University on Tuesday evening at Tippin Gymnasium.
Beidelman dropped a season-high 27 points, 11 of which coming at the free throw line. It is the second straight game he posted a career-high in scoring, as the 27 also marks the most points by a Golden Bear this season.
The Golden Bears (3-4) overcame a seven-point deficit with less than four minutes to play in regulation. It withstood a double-digit Clarion run midway through the second half, and it suffered a dry spell from the field in which it made one field goal in more than 12 minutes. Kutztown is now 3-0 on the road this season.
Most of the game was played within two possessions. Midway through the second half, Clarion went on an 11-0 run as part of an overall 16-4 run to take a 54-46 lead, its first lead since 14-13. Four KU free throws broke up the scoreless drought for KU, but the stint without a field goal stretched to nearly 10 minutes (9:54). Following a
Josh Johnson (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) dunk, Clarion led 56-52. KU had seven turnovers during the dry spell with as many field goal attempts.
Through the middle portion of the second half, Kutztown managed to stay in the game despite making one field goal in 12:40.
Down three in the final minute, Beidelman made a Chris Paul-esk reverse layup with 37.1 seconds left to cut the deficit to one (69-68). Kutztown fouled on the ensuing possession, but despite Clarion missing the second free throw, the rebound went out of bounds off of Kutztown. On the Clarion inbound, however, Kutztown's defense was smart and did not immediately foul, and trapped Clarion as the player stepped out-of-bounds and forced a Clarion turnover.
Kutztown ran the clock down and was going to live with taking one shot in an attempt to tie the game. Beidelman got the call and made the game-tying layup with four seconds to play. Clarion was called for traveling with 1.3 seconds left, as Beidelman nearly made the half-court shot at the buzzer as the teams went to overtime tied at 70 apiece.
With the final two buckets of the second half, and the first two buckets of overtime, Beidelman scored eight straight for Kutztown as part of his 12-point stint in overtime and the final minute of regulation. Kutztown led throughout the entire overtime period, as a three-pointer by
Ryan Connolly (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton Area) and a pair of game-clinching free throws from Beidelman were significant roles in the win.
Johnson had a phenomenal night for Kutztown with his first career double-double. He had 14 points and a career-high 13 rebounds on an effective 7-of-9 shooting performance. The scoring effort marked his seventh straight game in double figures to open the season. It's the first time a KU freshman scored 10 or more in each of his first seven games since Kevin Handy in the 1999-2000 season.
Sophomore forward Tracy Peal also notched a double-double with a season-high 21 points and 10 rebounds. He made nine free throws and was able to stay on the floor for 43 minutes by staying out of foul trouble.
Along with Connolly's 11 and
Elijah Jackson (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown)'s seven points, Kutztown's starting five accounted for 80 of its 82 points (97.6 percent).
Clarion (2-4) was led by DeMarius Miller's 34 points including a 14-for-20 performance at the free throw line. He played all 45 minutes and also had eight rebounds and four assists. Darius Stevens recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds as Clarion out-rebounded Kutztown 18-7 on the offensive glass.
Kutztown looks to improve upon its impressive start on the road with a 7:30 p.m. tipoff against Pitt-Johnstown tomorrow, Wednesday, Dec. 18, in a second straight conference crossover game. The Mountain Cats defeated Shippensburg Tuesday night, 69-53.
