LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – In an extremely tight, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division double overtime battle, the Kutztown University men's basketball team succumbed to the Lock Haven Bald Eagles, 91-83, inside Thomas Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Bears (5-15, 2-13 PSAC) saw major contributions from second-year guard
Josh McKoy (Reading, Pa./Berks Catholic), who led the team with 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting to lead the team's strong shooting effort from the field. As improved as they may have been on offense, the Bald Eagles (9-14, 5-11 PSAC) executed at the right time and clawed its way to a second straight victory to stay in control of its own playoff destiny in the PSAC East Division.
Kutztown held slight advantages where it mattered in the first half, including a 39-38 lead at the break. The team led in total rebounds (14-12) while going a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line and receiving significant contributions from its bench players in the first half and throughout the entire game.
The Golden Bears didn't let up in its efforts coming out of the locker room, as it tightened up on shooting (44.4 percent from the field, 4-of-9 from deep) while limiting turnovers and holding strong on the defensive end. The defense showed up in the last three minutes of the game, giving KU opportunities to score as the clock wound down.
The lone basket, a driving layup from Lock Haven, would be the only basket by the Bald Eagles in that time frame, but it was enough to stretch the game an extra five minutes to decide the winner.
The first overtime period saw Lock Haven pull ahead to a four-point advantage, 74-71, before Kutztown executed on both the offensive and defensive ends to get a three-point advantage, 78-75. Bald Eagles freshman Luke Kennevan drilled an NBA-range, buzzer-beating three to knot things at 78, sending things to a second overtime.
Lock Haven struck first with three free throws in the second extra frame, and while Kutztown tried racing back similar to their first overtime surge, it was too little, too late for the Golden Bears as its opponent found a way to stay undefeated on the season in overtime games.
Forward
Brendan Gaines (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) enjoyed a career night, scoring 19 points on 5-of-7 from three-point range in 27 minutes – his most extensive action of the season. Fellow big man
Kidd Brizek (Greenville, S.C./Powdersville) turned in a 13-point, nine-rebound, five-assist performance, while senior captain
Jordan Nkoa Abessolo (Yaoundé, Cameroon/St. Maria Goretti (Md.)) had ten points and six assists on the afternoon. McKoy's big scoring night was accompanied by seven rebounds and a pair of assists in a team-high 48 minutes, while
Amon Fowlkes (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) led the team with eight assists in 31 minutes of play.
Dyllon Scott led all scorers with 33 points for The Haven, connecting on a clutch basket to send the game to overtime and contributing in a massive way in the two overtime periods to help LHU emerge victorious in the end.
The Golden Bears return home for another PSAC East contest against the Shippensburg Raiders, when Faculty & Staff Appreciation Night will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 7:30 p.m inside Keystone Arena.
