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LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Kutztown University men's basketball team fought hard to the finish in one of its most physically and emotionally-draining games of the year in an 84-82 setback at Lock Haven University on Wednesday evening at Thomas Fieldhouse.
 
The Golden Bears (15-10, 12-7 PSAC East) move back into a tie for second place with West Chester, who won vs. Bloomsburg on Wednesday and holds the tiebreaker over KU with two head-to-head wins. Despite the temporary setback, Kutztown can continue its progress forward on Saturday, as a win at Shippensburg would give KU 13 conference wins and clinch it a home game with a top four seed.
 
As back-and-forth as Wednesday's game was, the final decision ultimately came down to plays made in the final seconds by both teams. After overcoming a double-digit deficit in the first half, and Lock Haven going almost exclusively to the paint for its offense in the second half, Kutztown took its first lead of the game off a Howard Sellars three-pointer with 7:07 to play. The teams battled within a possession for the remainder of the game, as a Lock Haven layup gave it an 81-79 lead with 52 seconds left.
 
KU was fouled and split its two free throws on the other and nearly took advantage of a Lock Haven mistake. When trying to get the ball across half court, Kutztown's Austin Beidelman intercepted a pass with 28 seconds to play. In a rush to take advantage of an odd-man attack, KU tried to get the ball inside but had its inlet pass intercepted, forcing a KU foul with 21 seconds left.
 
Lock Haven made its two free throws to stretch its lead to three, forced two KU misses on the other end, but turned the ball over after grabbing the defensive rebound with six seconds to play. Tynell Fortune came away with the steal and hoisted the potential game-tying three-pointer with five seconds left, and in a scramble for the rebound, Beidelman picked up the loose ball and laid it in, putting KU down one with just over three seconds left. Lock Haven split its free throws, missing the second one, as an ensuing half court heave by KU did not fall as the buzzer sounded.
                                                      
Frustration would be a fair way to describe the Golden Bears feelings toward their loss. It overcame a large deficit and tried to focus only on what they could control, but a technical foul call against KU in a two-point game with under four minutes to play for its displeasure of a foul call very much represented the tone of the game to that point.
 
Sellars poured in some big buckets throughout the game off the bench. He started the second half at the shooting guard spot and ended with a team-high 18 points with a 5-for-7 performance at the free throw line.
 
Senior Tyler Brooks was often counted on down the stretch and was sent to the free throw many times in the final moments. He ended the night 8-of-11 at the charity stripe for 13 points with a team-high nine rebounds along with three steals.
 
Josh Johnson finished with 12 points and eight rebounds before fouling out of the game on a technical foul with under four minutes to play. Fortune rounded out the double-digit scorers for KU with 11 points and a 6-for-7 outing at the free throw line with five steals.
 
Martin Dietrich (six points) and Rell Sherman (five points & three rebounds) each played a significant role in Kutztown overcoming its first half deficit and giving it a spark in the second half.
 
Lock Haven's Al Blount and Wali Hepburn each finished with a game-high 19 points, and Theo West and Nate Walters each finished with 15 points.
 
As difficult as Wednesday night's loss will be for the Golden Bears to move on from, the next goal of a home playoff is still at hand for KU. Saturday's tipoff at Shippensburg's Heiges Field House is set for 3 p.m.