Box Score (HTML)

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Redshirt freshman Christian Mortellite (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) turned in a night to remember with one of the best individual performances in recent memory by a Huskies player, but it was not enough for the Bloomsburg University men's basketball team in an 88-82 setback at West Chester Wednesday night.

Mortellite finished with a game-high 37 points, easily surpassing his previous career high of 23 set at Pitt-Johnstown on Dec. 17. The electric performance was the highest scoring output by a Huskies player in more than 14 seasons since game-by-game records became available with the 2001-02 season. The Bloomsburg school record for points in a single game is 48 by John Willis on Feb. 26, 1974.

Despite Mortellite's outing, West Chester remained out of reach for most of the night.

Bloomsburg (9-13, 5-13 PSAC) led in the very early going, but West Chester embarked on a 13-0 run to take a 22-9 lead at the 7:33 mark following free throws from Matt Wiseley.

The Golden Rams (14-11, 12-7) led by as many as 13 points during the opening half, but Mortellite cut the advantage to 40-31 with a 3-pointer to finish the first half scoring.

The Huskies pulled to within 45-41 opening the second half with a flurry, capped by a traditional 3-point play from Charles Haigler (Charles Town, WV/Hargrave Military Academy) less than four minutes into the period. West Chester counterpunched, though, pulling ahead by 14 just over three minutes later.

Mortellite continued his hot shooting, keeping the Huskies in the game. His jumper with 2:04 remaining brought Bloomsburg to within nine, 78-69.

The Huskies continued cutting away at the deficit in the final moments, drawing to an 86-80 score with 29 seconds left following a shot from beyond the arc by Jon Riles (Philadelphia/Academy of the New Church). Time would run out on the Huskies rally, effort, though as they would get no closer than five in the waning seconds.

Bloomsburg shot 61.5 percent (16-of-26) from the field during the second half to stay in the game, finishing at a 52.0 percent clip (26-50) for the night. The Huskies also went 11-of-19 from beyond the arc, paced by Mortellite's six 3-pointers.

Mortellite drained 9-of-13 shot attempts, including 6-of-9 from long range, and went 13-of-15 at the foul line. Along with his 37 points, he also recorded four rebounds and two assists.

Riles also had four 3-pointers and netted 20 points with four rebounds and three assists. Alssene Saintilus (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) posted eight points and eight rebounds.

Senior Cory Blake powered West Chester with 22 points and eight boards while Mike Wilson (13 points) and Ben Mingledough (12 points) each had double-figure scoring off the bench.

The Huskies will return home for a crucial PSAC East game against Mansfield on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. inside Nelson Field House. Both Mansfield (7-12 PSAC East) and Lock Haven (7-11), Bloomsburg's nearest competitors for the sixth and final conference playoff spot, earned wins on Wednesday night.