Devils Defeat West Chester for First Win of Season

Adewale Adefemi's second chance layup with 15.9 seconds left in regulation broke a 42-42 tie as the University of the Sciences men's basketball team went on to defeat West Chester University 45-42 Tuesday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena. 

The win against the Golden Rams was only their second ever against West Chester in 16 meetings and their first ever on the Devils home court.  Sciences even their record at 1-1 as does West Chester. 

Adefemi finished the game with 12 points (5-13 FG) and had a career-high 19 rebounds, the last of which led the game winning layup.  Freshman Patrick Connaghan also recorded a double -double with 11 points (5-10 FG) and 11 rebounds. 

Shannon givens led West Chester with 12 points and nine rebounds.  Lance McDowell had 11 rebounds and Elie Daniel added 10 boards. 

The Devils had trailed by six with 5:28 left to go in the opening stanza before finishing the period with an 8-3 flurry to close within one 17-16 at the break.  Adefemi put back his own miss to start the second half, giving the Devils their first lead since early in the first half (4-2).    The lead see-sawed back and forth and the Golden Rams took a three-point advantage, 27-24 on a pair of free throws by Khalif foster with 14:37 left before the Devils ran off five straight points to retake the lead 29-27 with 10:14 to play.  

Daniel's jumper tied things again at 29-29 and the Devils countered with seven straight points to increase their lead to 36-29 with 7:05 left.  West Chester battled back with six straight points to pull within one 36-35 with 4:20 left and a Daniel 'trey' at the 2:17 mark tied the game at 40-40.  Neither team scored on their next possession bringing the clock down to 1:02 left before William Kernan sank a pair of free throws to make the score 42-40 in favor of the home team.  Foster's two free throws with 37.7 seconds to go tied the game again.  On the Devils next possession, Kernan drove in for a layup but missed.  However Adefemi was right there for the rebound and the put back to make the score 44-42.  After a Givens turnover, Myer Messinger sank the first of two free throws with 6.9 seconds left to increase the lead to three, 45-42.   Givens three-point attempt to tie the game at the buzzer failed and the Devils prevailed. 

Neither team showed any shooting prowess throughout the game with both schools turning in a 16-60 (26.7%) effort from the field.  Half of West Chester's shots came from long range as the Golden Rams took 30 three-point attempts while making four (13.3%).   The Devils failed to connect on a three-point field goal (0-9).  Sciences did outscore the Devils 13-6 on the free throw line, despite shooting making less than half of their attempts (13-28, 46.4).  The Devils had a slight advantage on the boards, 53-50 and committed four less turnovers (14-18). 

The men's basketball team returns to action on Tuesday, November 23, 2010 when they face their third consecutive PSAC opponent, Bloomsburg University in the second game of a women's-men's doubleheader at the Bobby Morgan Arena.  Tipoff is scheduled for around 8:00 p.m.