KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- The Kutztown University men's basketball team (1-13, 0-8 PSAC) put together a full 40 minutes effort in its first home PSAC East game of the season, but some timely baskets down the stretch helped Lock Haven (8-5, 6-2 PSAC) pull away for a 78-72 victory at Keystone Arena Wednesday night.
Three Golden Bears ended in double-figures, highlighted by the efforts of Amir Cunningham (Middletown, Del./Middletown). The Middletown, Del. native led KU with a season-high 25 points to go along with eight boards, another season-high, and a team-high four assists. Cunningham's high school teammate Jaiden McGhee (Townsend, Del./Middletown) continues to be a double-double machine, netting 17 points while snagging 11 boards. It's his fourth double-double of the season. Brent Ricketts Jr. (Seaford, Del./Seaford) was the other Golden Bear in double figures with 13 points.
In a game that saw six lead changes, the Bald Eagles got out to a fast start, taking a 6-0 lead early on. KU battled back and eventually tied the game up at 15 thanks to a Cunningham three. The teams continued to trade baskets until it was tied at 27 with 5:41 left in the first. The Golden Bears then found their groove, going on a 14-2 run over the next 3:48 on the backs of McGhee, Cunningham, and Juju Pagan (Tobyhanna, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) to take a 39-29 lead, their largest of the game. Lock Haven cut slightly into the lead as KU entered the locker room up 39-34.
Out of the break, both teams continued to trade basket after basket until Lock Haven battled back to tie it at 48 with 13:49 left. Despite the run from the Bald Eagles, the Golden Bears were able to keep responding to keep them out of arm's reach until the 8:42 mark when Lock Haven tied it at 60 from the charity stripe. The Bald Eagles started to slightly pull away when Dyllon Scott hit a three to make it 66-60, but KU remained resilient, pulling within a point on two occasions down the stretch.
The Golden Bears had their chances, but a Bryson Scott offensive board and basket extended the lead back out to six with 1:07 remaining. The Golden Bears had two more possessions in the final minute, but couldn't generate anything offensively. The Bald Eagles finished it off from the free throw line as Lock Haven took the game 78-72.
Both teams shot relatively similarly from the floor but went a combined abysmal 4-24 from beyond the arc. Lock Haven's bench was a big factor in the game, outscoring KU 27-8 in that department. Justice Shoats led the Bald Eagles with 26 points while Collin Jones grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.
The Golden Bears are back in action at Keystone Arena this Saturday, Jan. 13 against Shippensburg. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.
