WEST CHESTER, Pa. - Despite a career-high tying 32 points from redshirt junior
Max Wagner (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) on Saturday afternoon, the Bloomsburg University men's basketball team dropped a 100-97 decision at West Chester University at Hollinger Field House. The Huskies dropped to 9-16 overall and 6-13 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division standings while the Golden Rams improved to 16-8 overall and 10-8 in the division.
Bloomsburg trailed 84-64 with 9:42 left in regulation before mounting a remarkable comeback bid. The Huskies pulled to within one, 94-93, after a layup from senior
Ky Mauras (Reading, Pa./Reading) with 1:15 left in regulation which finished off a 29-10 run over the eight-and-a-half minute span. However, the Golden Rams scored the next four points to push the margin back up to five - 98-93 - with 38 seconds left before a layup from Wagner cut the deficit to three 12 seconds later. After a 1-of-2 trip at the foul line for West Chester's Matt Dade, redshirt junior
Peyton Mortellite (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) dropped in a put-back to cut the West Chester lead to 99-97 with ten seconds left. The Huskies stole in the in-bounds pass and had an opportunity to tie, or take the lead, on the game's final possession. But a wild layup attempt in traffic from redshirt senior
Sam Saxton (York, Pa./Central York) wouldn't drop and the Golden Rams held off the comeback attempt.
Wagner tied his career-high with 32 points as he went 10-of-16 from the field and 12-of-17 from the foul line on the afternoon. His other 32-point effort came in a victory against Seton Hill back on November 24. Wagner also added a team-high eight rebounds. Mauras, who recorded his 1,000th career point on Wednesday against Mansfield, added 23 points and seven rebounds while freshman
Justin Anderson (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) chipped in 17 points. Mortellite gave the Huskies four double-digit scorers as he finished with ten.
Mauras passed Tom Hauer (1995-99) and William Swisher (1955-59) on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,023 points. He is now 28th in program history in scoring.
The game saw a combined 64 fouls (32 each), which included seven technicals, and 81 free-throw attempts. Nearly one-third (61) of the 197 total points on Saturday came at the foul line.
West Chester's Robbie Heath was a beneficiary of the foul shooting as he went 21-of-23 at the foul line en route to a career-high 50 points. He became the second Golden Ram in program history to record at least 50 points in a game as he went 12-of-26 from the field and 5-of-11 from long range.
The hosts led by as many as a dozen points in the opening half before settling for a 52-44 advantage at the break. In the first ten minutes of the second half, the Golden Rams outscored the Huskies by a 32-20 margin to grab their largest lead of the game with 9:42 left in regulation. Bloomsburg went on to score 33 of the game's final 49 points but ultimately fell just short in its comeback effort.
Bloomsburg shot 31-of-63 (49.2%) from the field and 8-of-22 (36.4%) from long distance while finishing 27-of-39 (69.2%) from the charity stripe. However, after going 15-of-18 (83.3%) in the first half, the Huskies went just 12-of-21 (57.1%) in the second. West Chester, meanwhile, was 28-of-68 (41.2%) from the floor and 10-of-26 (38.5%) from deep while knocking down 34 of its 42 foul shots (81.0%).
The Huskies will make the short trip to Lock Haven University on Wednesday night, February 19, for a crucial PSAC East matchup against the Bald Eagles. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
