Box Score



Kutztown 85, Mansfield 74 (HTML Box Score)
 
Photo Gallery | Video Highlights
 
MANSFIELD, Pa. – The Kutztown University men's basketball team built a 19-2 lead and never looked back as it led by double-digits for the majority of an 85-74 road victory at Mansfield University on Wednesday evening in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division game at Decker Gymnasium.
 
Senior Tyler Brooks (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) led the Golden Bears (2-3, 1-1 PSAC East) and flirted with a triple-double with 17 points, six rebounds, and a career-high-tying eight assists. He shot an effective 6-for-8 from the field and grabbed four steals in 27 minutes of work, his lowest time on the floor of the season. He has scored 17 or more points in three straight games.
 
All five members of Kutztown's starting lineup scored in double figures against the Mountaineers (1-6, 0-3). Ryan Connolly (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton Area) and Tracy Peal scored above their season averages and led the team with 18 points apiece. Connolly returned to the lineup after missing a game due to injury and connected on three three-pointers. Peal shot 8-of-12 from the field with a team-high seven rebounds.
 
Kutztown stormed out to an early 19-2 lead in the first 6:45 of play. KU shot 9-of-13 (.692) from the field to open the game as all five starters found the scoring column. Mansfield on the other hand, did not record a field goal until more than seven minutes into the game as Kutztown led 19-5.
 
"We did a good job of spreading the floor and running the offense," Brooks said of the team's strong start on the offensive end. "We penetrated the gaps and shared the ball very well, which was key for us to build a lead."
 
With Kutztown leading by 15 (36-21), Charles Becoats used a pair of free throws to spark a 12-4 run for the Mountaineers, drawing their deficit to single digits at 40-33 with 2:07 to play in the half. KU silenced the run with a pair of layups to lead 44-35 at the break.
 
Kutztown shot 59.4 percent from the field in the first half and 55 percent for the game. Defensively for Kutztown, Mansfield shot 41 percent from the field, but was silenced from beyond the arc as it finished 5-of-28 overall. In Kutztown's two victories this season, its opponents are shooting 6-for-44 (.136) from three-point range.
 
"We were excited with the way we were playing, but we also wanted to use the full shot clock and take care of the ball," Brooks said of the team's mindset at halftime. "We knew that if they were going to get back in the game, it was going to be with us playing lazy defense and turning the ball over. I think we did a good job tonight of focusing on the factors of the game that we could control."
 
Freshman point guard Austin Beidelman (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) ran the team effectively while playing all 40 minutes for the first time of his career. Despite not having the greatest of shooting nights, Beidelman was active on the floor to finish with 10 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Just as important, he committed no turnovers.
 
"I think we are starting to play much better as a team," Brooks said. "When we play on the road, I feel we play with a lot more team chemistry. It could be because we are young and we stick together when put in tough situations on the road, I'm not quite sure. We've come a long way with having such a young team, and I am very impressed with the way that we are coming together."
 
Josh Johnson (Norristown, Pa./Norristown), this week's PSAC East Freshman of the Week, continued his streak of double-digit scoring efforts to start his career. He finished with 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting while only playing 16 minutes due to foul trouble. He started for the second straight game, giving Kutztown a much bigger starting lineup.
 
Johnson is the first KU freshman since Kevin Handy (seven in the 1999-2000 season) to score in double-digits in each of his first five games.
 
Freshman Austin Ford (Blue Bell, PA/Sanford School) filled in for Johnson and scored a season-high eight points with five rebounds in 23 minutes.
 
For Mansfield, Becoats and Joe Bell combined for 52 of the team's 74 points (.703). Bell led the game with 28 points and a 12-for-13 outing at the free throw line and an 8-for-12 performance from the field. He also recorded a double-double with a game-high 10 rebounds as Mansfield won the rebounding battle 40-25, including 15 offensive rebounds. Becoats took 22 shots and seven free throw attempts to finish with 24 points, despite shooting 3-for-14 from three-point range.
 
Kutztown returns home to Keystone Arena, where it still looks for its first win of the season, against a West Chester team that suffered a heart-breaking loss on the road to Millersville Wednesday night on a last-second layup in an 86-85 setback. Tipoff on Saturday, Dec. 7 is set for 3 p.m.