Strong Shooting Propel Devils to Fourth Straight Win: USciences

December 4, 2010

Strong Shooting Propel Devils to Fourth Straight Win

The University of the Sciences men's basketball team exploded for 48 points in the first half and another 41 in the second, making 56% of their shots as they hung on to defeat Kutztown University 89-76 Saturday afternoon at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

The win, their fourth straight, leaves the Devils with a 4-1 record. Kutztown drops to 4-2. Saturday's win also marks the first time the Devils have beaten four PSAC schools in the same season and their best start since opening the 2003-2004 campaign with a 6-1 mark.

Offensively, Sciences 89 points are their highest since scoring 94 against Wilmington on January 31, 2008 (winning 94-68) and the first time they have scored more 80 points in a game since that win. Six players reached double figures for the Devils, led by Adewale Adefemi and William Kernan. Adefemi and Kernan each scored 20 points. Adefemi added 10 rebounds for his third double-double in five games this year. Myer Messinger also had a double-double with ten points and 13 rebounds. Both players also fouled out with over eight minutes to play.

Tyrone Mann-Barnes, the hero of Tuesday night's win, did not hit a three-point field goal in the game, but still finished with 12 points as did fellow freshman Patrick Connaghan. Henry Messinger came off the bench to score 11 points. Mann-Barnes also led the Devils with five assists while Connaghan had five steals and two blocks.

Nate Edwards led all scorers, knocking down six three-point field goals enroute to a game-high 27 points. Steve Coffey added 11 points while Eric Brennan had ten. Jon Deshields led the Golden Bears with five rebounds. Edwards also had four assists and three steals.

Kutztown appeared to have command in the early part of the game, leading 13-7 and later 15-11 with 13:04 left. Over the next 4:12 however the Devils could do no wrong, shooting 6-for-6 from the field and making three of four field goals for a 15-0 spurt to take an 11-point lead 26-15. KU cut the deficit to six 30-24 at the 5:23 mark but the Devils closed out the period with an 18-5 run to take an 19-point lead 48-29 at the break. The Devils shot 18for 31 in the half (58.1%).

The hot shooting continued in the second half with the Devils making four of their first five shots to increase the lead to 24, 56-32 at the 15:38 mark and despite making just one more field goal over the next three minutes, held a 25-popint lead, their largest of the game, 61-36 with 12:24 to go. The Golden Bears slowly chipped away at the lead but managed to take just five points back over the next four minutes, leaving the devils with a 69-49 lead at the 8:21 mark.

The Golden Bears then went on a 12-4 spurt, holding the Devils without a field goal to pull within 12, 73-61 with 6:34 to play. Connaghan broke the run with a layup at the 4:57 mark giving the Devils a 75-61. Connaghan later added a pair of free throws to make the score 79-64 with 1:59 left. Omari Phillip then connected on a pair of breakaway layups to give Sciences' an 83-68 lead. Eleven seconds later, Connaghan became the third Devils starter to foul out but the Devils held on, never letting the lead fall under 11 points in the final minute After Mann-Barnes hit a free throw with 27 seconds left. JJ Rowland's three was blocked by Phillip who also made the defensive save of the rebound tossing the ball to Alec McClure while falling out of bounds and the Devils ran out the clock.

The Devils finished the game making 28 of 50 shots from the field (56%) but did not make a singl;e three-point shot (0-3). Kutztown shot 25-67 (37.3%) and made nine three-pointers shooting 9-32(28.1%). The Devils dominated on the free throw line, making 33 of 46 (71.7%) while Kutztown was 17-26 (65.4%) with most of the free throws by both teams coming in the second half (51 in all) as a result of 36 fouls being called (21 on KU). Sciences also held a 44-31 advantage on the glass and dished out a total of 18 assists (19 turnovers) while KU had 15 assists (17 TO's).

The men's basketball team returns to action on Thursday , December 9, 2010, taking on their sixth straight PSAC opponent, Millersville University in Millersville, Pennsylvania. Tip off is set for 8:00 p.m.