Box Score

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Bloomsburg Uses Late Run to Pull Away from Mansfield

BLOOMSBURG – The final six minutes of the game seemed like six hours to the Mansfield University men's basketball team.

Bloomsburg went on a 16-2 run over the last six minutes of the game to break open a tight contest as the Huskies downed Mansfield 86-70 in a PSAC East matchup at Nelson Field House Wednesday night.

Bloomsburg held a 70-68 lead after Mansfield's Joe Bell hit a layup with 5:43 to play but Mansfield would score just two more points in the game in suffering the loss.

The last six minutes barely resembled the first 34 minutes of action that featured a nip and tuck game throughout.

Mansfield jumped out to an early lead on a pair of back-to-back 3-pointers by Brady Burke, taking a 12-7 advantage on a layup by Charles Pemberton just under five minutes into the game.

Bloomsburg countered, using a 12-1 run to take a 19-13 lead on Lorenzo Christmas layup with 12 minutes remaining in the half.

The Huskies held a 35-29 lead with just under four minutes to play before halftime before Mansfield rallied to tie the score 41-41 on three free throws by freshman Ryan Krawczeniuk as the first half ended.

In the second half, the two teams traded back and forth baskets before Charles Becoats nailed a 3-pointer giving Mansfield a 46-43 advantage two minutes into the half.

Bloomsburg used an 8-1 run midway through the half to take a 62-55 lead before Mansfield countered with a 5-0 run, pulling to 62-60 on a Krawczeniuk layup.

The Huskies still held a two point advantage at 70-68 after Bell's layup, but a pair of free throws and a critical 3-pointer by Christmas extended the lead to 75-68 with exactly five minutes to play.

Mansfield, which was held scoreless for the final 4:40 of the game, missed its last eight shots of the contest.

Bloomsburg shot 47.6% from the floor to Mansfield's 38.5% and dominated the boards 48-36 after Mansfield had a first half rebounding advantage.
Pemberton led the Mountaineers in scoring with 13 points. Bell recorded his fifth double-double of the year with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Krawczeniuk also scored 10 points.

Christmas topped five Bloomsburg players in double-figures with a game-high 19 points.

Mansfield closes out the first half of the PSAC East season with a 2-6 mark. Still the Mountaineers are just one game out of the 6th and final PSAC East playoff berth.

Mansfield has a bye on Saturday before hosting undefeated East Stroudsburg to start the second half of the season on Wednesday.