BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- The Kutztown University men's basketball team (2-15, 1-10 PSAC) had the ball with a chance to win as time expired, but a critical last-second block lifted Bloomsburg (4-12, 2-8 PSAC) over the Golden Bears 80-78 at the E.H. Nelson Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon.
Freshman Amir Cunningham (Middletown, Del./Middletown) continues to impress in his first collegiate season, netting a season-high 28 points to go along with a season-high 16 rebounds. It's the second double-double of the season for the Middletown, Del. native. Brendan Boyle (Allentown, Pa./Notre Dame) was the only other Golden Bear in double-figures with 12 points.
The Golden Bears and Huskies went blow-for-blow to start the contest, trading baskets till it was 27-27 with 5:04 left in the first half. Bloomsburg then broke the game wide open, going on a 16-3 run over the next three minutes to take a 42-30 lead. Back-to-back three-pointers from Will Meeker (Orefield, Pa./Parkland) and Boyle in the final minute of the first frame cut the lead to 44-38 entering the break.
The Huskies continued to respond to whatever KU was throwing at them as the second half went out, extending the lead back out to 10 with 4:28 left. Despite looking down and out, the Golden Bears battled back down the stretch. Two three-pointers from Ryan Glassmacher (Stewartsville, N.J./Bethlehem Catholic (Pa.)) and a Kameron Roberts (Townsend, Del./Middletown) layup cut the lead to four with 3:09 left. A free throw from Cunningham made it just a two-point game, but back-to-back big baskets from Matt Bengel made it 80-75 with 49 seconds left.
Cunningham immediately responded, draining his only three of the game to make it 80-78 with 40 seconds left. The Huskies killed the clock, but a missed jumper from Desmond Freeman with 10 seconds left gave KU a chance to tie or win. Roberts drove to the basket as time expired, but Freeman made up for his previous miss, blocking the shot as Bloomsburg held on for the win.
The Golden Bears did well on the boards, outrebounding the Huskies 41-28. Both teams struggled from the charity stripe, with both teams shooting below 73%. Bengel led the Huskies with 23 points, while Louie Wild and Jake Nelson both ended in double figures.
KU continues its road swing with a visit to Millersville on Wednesday, Jan. 24. That game will tip off at 7:30 p.m.
