MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – The Kutztown University men's basketball team faced a numerous amount of different circumstances in a hard-fought, playoff-like battle that it fell just short of against Millersville in double-overtime, 106-98, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division game at Pucillo Gymnasium Thursday night.
 
The Golden Bears (14-12 overall, 8-10 PSAC) held leads throughout the first half and second overtime period, had to come-from-behind a various amount of times in the second half and first overtime, and was forced to deal with foul trouble, cold-shooting and turnovers that ultimately cost them a shot at hosting a First Round PSAC Tournament game. The Marauders (16-10, 11-7) secured the fourth-seed and in turn, a home playoff game. KU entered the game just two games behind and a win would've put them in position to overtime MU in the top-four.
 
Anthony Lee (Willow Grove, Pa./Abington) led all scorers with a game-high 36 points, his 55th consecutive game in double-figures in scoring. He tied a career-high with 12 rebounds, giving him his second straight double-double and the second this season. Lee also contributed five assists and two steals and was 15-for-17 from the free-throw line in tying a career-high of 50 minutes played.
 
Three other Kutztown players recorded double-digits in points, led by 15 from Facundo Arens (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Bahia Blanca), 12 by Ricky Hicks (Coatesville, Pa./Polytech) and 10 from freshman Kyree Generett (York, Pa./William Penn). Arens also grabbed a career-high eight rebounds and tied a career-high with two blocks in a career-high 44 minutes. Hicks added four rebounds, two assists and tied a career-high with three steals as Kutztown as a team picked off eight Millersville passes. Josh Townsend (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) nearly missed another double-double, tallying nine points and 10 rebounds.
 
The Maroon and Gold scored nine of the first 11 points of the second overtime and were ahead 98-91 after a layup by Lee with 2:35 left on the clock. But that would be the final scoring of the game for KU.
 
The Marauders went on a 15-0 run in the final 2:35, using a full-court pressure defense to force Kutztown into turnovers on its end of the court that led to fast-breaks or free-throw attempts on their end. Millersville went 8-of-11 at the charity stripe and 3-for-3 from the floor during its run, while holding KU to 0-of-5 from the floor and 0-for-2 from the free-throw line and forcing three turnovers.
 
The Golden Bears led for all but 0:14 of the first half with their largest advantage coming with 6:32 left until halftime ahead 35-25. They went into the locker rooms up 48-44. But in just 1:52 the Marauders took their first lead of the game, 50-48 and 18:08 on the clock.
 
There would be four ties and three lead changes in the second half. With the game in favor of Millersville 80-78 and 3:15 to go, Hicks tied the game with two free-throws. A couple of missed opportunities by each team on their offensive end was followed by Jaden Faulkner and Arens each going 1-for-2 from the free-throw line as regulation ended in an 81-81 tie.
 
In overtime number one, the Marauders led for 4:00 of the first 4:15 and saw themselves in front 89-86 with exactly 1:00 remaining. Then freshman Da'Quan Granberry (Linwood, Pa./Chichester) drilled a shot a few feet beyond the three-point line to tie the game back up at 89-89 and force a second overtime.
 
Kutztown kept its momentum going for the first 2:25, racing to a seven-point lead. But missed shots and losing the ball hurt it in the end as Millersville capitalized and connected on its opportunities from the floor.
 
Granberry netted eight points, fellow freshman Akello Mosby (Philadelphia, Pa./Carver) had six points, three rebounds and one block and Kiyon Hardy (Philadelphia, Pa./The Shipley School) accounted for two points, three rebounds and one assist.
 
Kutztown has a week off before travelling to take on East Stroudsburg in a PSAC East clash next Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m. from Koehler Fieldhouse.