Box Score Kutztown 76, Cheyney 74 (HTML Box Score)
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University men's basketball team made its final seven free throws and shot 60 percent from the field in the second half to lift it to a come-from-behind, 76-74 victory over Cheyney University on Saturday afternoon in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup from Keystone Arena.
For the game, the Golden Bears (4-10, 2-2 PSAC East) made a season-high 27 free throws in their first win at Keystone Arena in nine tries this season. They protected the ball better than they have all season with a season-low seven turnovers. They featured two 20-point scorers and three in double figures. It is the first time since 2012 that Kutztown had two players with 20 or more points in the same game.
Tracy Peal finished with a team-high 23 points and eight rebounds. He shot an impressive 11-for-12 at the free throw line, marking a career-high in free throws. Peal has stepped his game up as of late, scoring 20 or more points in two of the last three games. He is averaging 23 points per game in Kutztown's last three games, seven above his team-leading season average, much due to his effectiveness at the free throw line. In Kutztown's first 11 games, Peal shot 53.1 percent from the charity stripe (34-of-64). In Kutztown's last three, he has shot 86.3 percent (19-of-22).
Freshman
Josh Johnson (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) scored 16 of his career-high 22 points in the second half, and finished the game 10-of-11 shooting. With Kutztown trailing by a game-high six points in the early minutes of the second half, Johnson rattled off 10 straight points. He also grabbed six rebounds.
Ryan Connolly (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton Area) scored 14 points and made all six of his free throw attempts, and
Austin Beidelman (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) finished with seven points and a career-high seven assists. His lone field goal of the afternoon was a three-pointer from the top of the key in the final two minutes that began Kutztown's final run to victory.
Most of the game was played within one possession, as there were 13 lead changes and 10 ties throughout. Cheyney (2-13, 2-3) built a game-high six-point lead in the opening minutes of the second half (46-40), but Kutztown responded with Johnson's personal 10-0 run. Kutztown was 5-of-7 from the field during the run and limited Cheyney to one shot and six turnovers.
The game of runs continued as the Wolves put together a quick 9-1 stint in less than two minutes to take a 55-51 lead with 9:13 to play. Kutztown did not let Cheyney's lead grow any more though, as the next eight minutes were played within two points. Beidelman drained a three-pointer with 1:23 to play to give Kutztown a 67-63 lead, and a missed Cheyney triple and a pair of Johnson free throws extended the lead to six points with 1:00 to play.
Cheyney did not go away; however, as Jerrod Johnson scored the team's final 11 points on his way to a 24-point game. Kutztown kept its composure though and went on to make its final seven free throws of the game. Beidelman, Peal,
Elijah Jackson (Pottstown, PA/Pottstown), and Connolly all made free throws in the final 38 seconds.
The Golden Bears trailed by three at halftime, largely due to the play of Deshawn Curtis. The leading scorer in the PSAC scored 20 points in the first half, but was limited to just eight points in a frustrating second half to finish with a game-high 28 points.
Notably, both teams' benches combined to score just six points.
The Golden Bears hit the road for three straight games starting with Millersville University on Wednesday, Jan. 15 for an 8 p.m. tipoff. The Golden Bears took the Marauders to double overtime last season in a loss at Pucillo Gymnasium, where Kutztown has not won at since the 2010-11 season.
