KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University men's basketball had a chance to win in its final possession, but a shot with just under 0:01 remaining hit the back of the iron and came out as KU dropped a non-conference game against Jefferson University, 77-76, Wednesday night inside Keystone Arena.
 
Junior Wesley Butler (Reading, Pa./Reading) had a game and season-high 24 points to lead the way for KU, but his final shot of the evening would not fall as the Rams escaped Keystone with the victory. The Golden Bears (0-3 overall) dropped their third game of the season, while Jefferson improved to 2-1.
 
Butler went 8-for-14 (57.1%) from the floor, but needed his ninth field goal to give Kutztown its first win of the campaign. Freshman Jalen Bryant (Edgewood, Md./John Carroll) went 1-for-2 from the free-throw line to put KU ahead 76-75 with 1:22 to play. Erik Timko, who collected the defensive rebound on the second missed free-throw, spotted up in the corner in front of his bench, just inside the three-point line, and drained a jumper to take Jefferson on top 77-76 with 1:10 left.
 
After a missed shot from distance on Kutztown's next time down the court, Moe Williams (Townsend, Del./Life Center Academy (N.J.)) took a charge to give the ball back to the Maroon and Gold for one final chance to tie or take back the lead.
 
Bryant also finished in double figures for KU with 11 points and added five rebounds and three assists. Akeem Taylor Jr. (Chester, Pa./Chester), who came in with three points through the first two games, tripled that total with nine and had two rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes of action, also making his first career start. Channick Nkoma (Libreville, Gabon/Lycee National Leon M'ba) tallied eight points and four rebounds, Michael Smith III (Chester, Pa./Chester) recorded seven points, and Akello Mosby (Philadelphia, Pa./Carver), making his first appearance this season, contributed six points and three rebounds.
 
The Rams scored six of the first 10 points of the game, but KU quickly went on a 6-0 run and led the rest of the first half, going into the locker rooms at halftime ahead 42-39.
 
Moe Williams (Townsend, Del./Life Center Academy (N.J.)) ended his night with five points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Kyree Generett (York, Pa./William Penn) had four points and Robert Tucker (Philadelphia, Pa./Paul Robeson) rounded out the scoring for KU with two points and added four rebounds.
 
Kutztown will next host Penn State Berks in its next game on Saturday, Nov. 20, at 3 p.m., back at Keystone Arena.