SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va. – The Kutztown University men's basketball team made a quick visit to West Virginia before the storm, falling to the Shepherd Rams, 72-56, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division game inside the Butcher Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Bears (5-11, 2-9 PSAC) were able to keep the score close behind its opponent as it waited for the right time to attack, but that time never came as the Rams (10-8, 6-5 PSAC) stayed one step ahead for all 40 minutes to collect its tenth win of the season and get above .500 in conference play.
The first half was dominated by the Rams, who were able to spread out the scoring on its way to a six-point lead. Just before the half, however, the Golden Bears were able to limit the home team's scoring efforts, going on a 7-0 run over the last three minutes to carry a bit of momentum into the locker room, hoping to save it for the second half.
It would be of no use in the end, as Shepherd carried that slight edge across the entire second half, as Kutztown couldn't get within six points – a mark the Maroon and Gold reached again with just under five minutes to play – before the Rams pulled away for the final, 16-point tally.
The Golden Bears were led in scoring by guard
Yahmir Satterfield (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter), who scored ten of his 16 points in the second half. Senior forward
Jordan Nkoa Abessolo (Yaoundé, Cameroon/St. Maria Goretti (Md.)) tallied 12 points and 11 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season, while senior guard
Jalen Bryant (Edgewood, Md./John Carroll) had 11 points.
Omari Banks (Middletown, Del./The Phelps School (Pa.)) contributed in multiple areas, turning in a 10-point, five rebound, four assist performance.
After granting an efficient shooting half from beyond the arc to the Rams, Kutztown was able to lock down and limit Shepherd to just two three-point baskets in the second half. However, despite boasting a better shooting mark from the field in the opening half (45.8 percent), Kutztown was unable to connect on ten attempts from long distance.
The Golden Bears led the game in paint points (44-24), assists (11-6) and fast break points (13-12) in defeat. The opposition was led by guard Marcus Banks, who had 25 points, six rebounds, three assists, and a pair of steals for the Rams.
The Golden Bears will be back home on Tuesday, Jan. 27, for a meeting with the East Stroudsburg Warriors at 7:30 p.m. inside Keystone Arena.
