EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – The Kutztown University men's basketball team dropped their season opening game against Lincoln by a score of 87-78 at the Koehler Fieldhouse on the campus of East Stroudsburg University on Saturday afternoon.
Guard
Jalen Bryant (Edgewood, Md./John Carroll), who missed most of last season, made his return known for the Golden Bears (0-1), scoring 28 points on a 7-for-17 clip. He drilled three of his five three-point attempts while converting 11 of his 12 opportunities at the free throw line. Sophomore
Jaiden McGhee (Townsend, Del./Middletown) was the only other scorer in double figures for KU, recording 15 points and snagging three steals to lead the team.
Sophomore
Amir Cunningham (Middletown, Del./Middletown) and Millersville transfer
Jordan Nkoa Abessolo (Yaoundé, Cameroon/St. Maria Goretti (Md.)) patrolled the paint for Kutztown, collecting eight and seven rebounds, respectively.
While Lincoln (1-0) managed to pull away at the end of a tight contest, they opened with a 19-point lead with 9 minutes left in the first before the Golden Bears chipped away and held a 46-43 advantage at the half. Kutztown continued to give the Lions trouble before the winning team pulled ahead in the final three minutes. Four Lincoln scorers set double-digit point totals, led by Bakir Cleveland with 25 points.
The Lions won the battle down low, scoring 50 of their 87 points in the paint compared to KU's 30 points in the same area. Lincoln carried the lead for all but 10 minutes on the night, and weathered three starters carrying five fouls. Kutztown was able to hang with their opposition with efficient shooting in the first period (44.4% field goal percentage), but struggled in the second frame with a 35% field goal mark while missing all four long range opportunities.
The game is part of a challenge between Kutztown's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and Lincoln's Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, a series that will conclude tomorrow, Nov. 10, against the CIAA's Elizabeth City State at 4 p.m at ESU's Koehler Fieldhouse.
