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WEST CHESTER, Pa. - Redshirt senior Christian Mortellite (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) just would not allow the Huskies to lose on Saturday afternoon.

Mortellite was nearly perfect en route to a season-high 37 points - two shy of his career-high - as he lifted the Bloomsburg University men's basketball team to an 86-78 victory at 20th-ranked West Chester University in front of more than 1,100 fans at the Hollinger Field House. The win completed a regular-season sweep of the Golden Rams and, more importantly, moved the Huskies to 11-8 overall and 7-8 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division. West Chester suffered its third straight loss to fall to 15-4 overall and 11-4 in league play.

It was Mortellite's third 30-point game of the season and it was his eighth career 30-point effort. It marked the third time in his career that he scored at least 37 points in a game - the second time against West Chester.

The redshirt senior went a perfect 12-of-12 from the field, including 6-of-6 from long range which added up to his season-high in points. Ironically, the only two shots he missed came at the free-throw line where he went 7-of-9 on the day. Mortellite had missed only six foul shots all season (73-of-79) and entered as the PSAC leader in free-throw percentage (92.4%). With his 37 points on Saturday, Mortellite now has 1,899 career points and needs only 13 points to become the school's all-time leading scorer - Mike Ellzy currently holds the school-record with 1,911 points from 1993-97.

Graduate student Hashim Moore (Sunrise, Fla./Hun School) was the only other Huskies' player in double figures as he chipped in with 13 points. Senior Kyle-Michael Rose (Middletown, Del./Sanford School) and sophomores Khary Mauras (Reading, Pa./Reading) and Austin Harriott (Philadelphia, Pa./Hun School) chipped in eight points apiece.

The Huskies started strong as Bloomsburg jumped out to a 10-0 advantage in the opening three minutes which immediately quieted the raucous West Chester crowd. Mortellite hit his first triple of afternoon to end the spurt and force a Golden Ram timeout. Mauras, Moore, Rose, and redshirt sophomore Sam Saxton (York, Pa./Central York) also scored during the rally. West Chester did not score until Eric-Evan Longino knocked down a jumper nearly four minutes into the game.

The teams exchanged baskets over the next three minutes and, after Mauras hit a three-pointer, the Huskies maintained a 20-9 lead with 13:01 left in the opening half. Bloomsburg extended the advantage to as many as 14 points, 34-20, with 6:24 left before the Golden Rams started to make a run. West Chester went on a 17-7 run over the next six minutes to cut the lead to four before Saxton converted a layup just before halftime to keep Bloomsburg in front, 43-37, at the break.

Bloomsburg got the lead back up to 11 in the opening minute of the second half after a Moore dunk and a Mortellite three-pointer. But, West Chester went on a 16-4 run to take its first lead of the game, 53-52, with 13:19 left after Longino hit a three-pointer. The hosts continued to hold the lead, and extended it to seven points, 72-65, with 5:22 left after a three-point play from Jackson Hyland.

Back came the Huskies. Mortellite hit a three-pointer, Harriott converted a layup, and Moore had a perfect trip at the foul line to tie the game at 72-72 with 3:35 left. West Chester's Steve Smith drilled a three-pointer on the ensuing possession to reclaim the hosts' lead. But, Mortellite hit a layup and a pair of foul shots on the next two possessions to give Bloomsburg a 76-75 advantage with 1:52 left - a lead the Huskies would never relinquish.

Bloomsburg outscored West Chester, 14-3, after Smith hit the three-pointer with 3:25 remaining. Mortellite scored nine of the Huskies' 14 points down the stretch to help the Huskies complete the season sweep.

The Huskies shot 28-of-49 (57.1%) from the field and knocked down 8-of-17 (47.1%) from beyond the arc. Bloomsburg also went 22-of-30 (73.3%) from the free-throw line. West Chester, meanwhile, went 27-of-64 (42.2%) from the field, 8-of-24 (33.3%) from long range and 16-of-25 (64.0%) from the charity stripe. The only rough spot for the Huskies on Saturday was on the glass where West Chester held a 38-32 margin. However, 21 of West Chester's 38 rebounds came on the offensive end which led to 24 second-chance points.

Longino was the hot hand for West Chester as he poured in a team-high 24 points. Hyland, Matt Penecale, Tyrell Long added 13 points apiece.

Mortellite, needing just 13 points, will attempt to become the school's all-time leading scorer on Wednesday night when the Huskies host Kutztown University at the Nelson Field House on Wednesday, January 31. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Bloomsburg will be looking to avenge a 97-92 loss to the Golden Bears in Kutztown back on January 3.