WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Freshman Wesley Butler (Reading, Pa./Reading) has made his mark during his first collegiate season in Maroon and Gold. He continued that trend Saturday afternoon, leading the field with a career-high 29 points in sending the Kutztown University men's basketball team to a 92-78 victory over No. 12 West Chester University in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division action.
 
The Golden Bears (8-9 overall, 6-5 PSAC) won their second straight and are now third in the PSAC East.
 
Butler went 6-for-10 from the floor, including 4-of-5 from three, and also cashed in for all 13 of his free-throw attempts. As did most of his teammates, Butler broke out in the second half, netting 21 of his 29 points to help KU outscore the Golden Rams (14-3, 8-3) 60-48 in a high-scoring second half of play. The 60 second-half points is tied for the most in a half this season, joining the two halves against Cheyney when KU scored 60 each half.
 
Kyree Generett (York, Pa./William Penn) recorded 17 points and tied a career-high with six rebounds, while Tarojae Brake (Coatesville, Pa./Octorara) tallied 16 points and four rebounds. Josh Townsend (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) finished with his fourth double-double this season, netting 11 points and grabbing a season-high 16 boards, a game-high amongst any player, while also blocking two shots.
 
Brake and Butler connected on back-to-back three-pointers to begin the game for the Maroon and Gold and KU was off and running. Kutztown held a lead for all of the first half outside of a 1:18 period right at the end when the score was tied at 30-30. KU held two separate leads by as many as eight (20-12, 18-10) in the opening 20 minutes and held a slim 32-30 lead heading into halftime.
 
The second half started just as the first half did, as Butler and Facundo Arens (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Bahia Blanca) drained consecutive shots from long distance. West Chester cut its deficit to two at 40-38, but Kutztown then went on a 7-0 run and never led by less than six (49-43) the rest of the way. KU went on a 9-0 run in a 1:41 spurt in the middle of the second half to go ahead 63-45 and seal the victory.
 
Ryan 'Boz' Bernstein (Bronx, N.Y./Marianapolis Prep) contributed nine points and four assists and Arens added six points for the Golden Bears. Akello Mosby (Philadelphia, Pa./Carver) and Michael Smith III (Chester, Pa./Chester) both had two points to round out the KU scoring. Mosby also brought in six rebounds.
 
Kutztown will remain on the road for its next game, Wednesday night, Jan. 22, at Shippensburg University at 8 p.m.