EDINBORO, Pa. – The Kutztown University men's basketball team drops their Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference opener by a score of 93-58 to the Edinboro Fighting Scots at McComb Fieldhouse on Friday night.
Senior guard
Jalen Bryant (Edgewood, Md./John Carroll) had another stellar outing for the Golden Bears (1-4, 0-1 PSAC), recording 22 points and five threes in 33 minutes of play, all team highs. The Fighting Scots (4-2, 1-0 PSAC) played an efficient game, taking advantage of Kutztown's mishaps on their way to their third 80-point scoring performance in four games.
Kutztown had their fair share of opportunities to battle back, but a mix of inefficient shooting (34 percent from the field and 31 percent from three) and struggles on the defensive end (two steals on the night) allowed Edinboro to command the entire game, never trailing from tipoff to the final buzzer.
The Fighting Scots caught fire early, shooting 50 percent from the floor and nearly 60 percent from long range. They were led by Cenker Evran, who recorded 11 points and 19 rebounds, along with Steve Kelly's 16 points. Their defense limited the Golden Bears, as the Fighting Scots had eight steals and five blocks to power their way to victory.
The Maroon and Gold hit five three-point baskets in the first frame, but hit just one of their final nine treys in their attempt to come back.
Jaiden McGhee (Townsend, Del./Middletown) turned in a strong 12 points and eight rebounds, while junior
Jordan Nkoa Abessolo (Yaoundé, Cameroon/St. Maria Goretti (Md.)) had eight points and eight boards for KU. The Golden Bears were able to limit foul trouble, as no player had more than two personal fouls. They matched Edinboro's aggressiveness on the offensive glass, each pulling in 12 rebounds on the offensive side.
Kutztown will look to bounce back with non-conference home games against Georgian Court (Tuesday, Nov. 26, at 7:30 p.m.) and Wilmington (Saturday, Nov. 30, at 4 p.m.) Keystone Arena.
