FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Ball Doesn't Bounce Mansfield's Way in 93-81 Setback to West Chester – Bell Scores Game-High 24 Points to Move to Four Points from Become MU's All-Time Leading Scorer
 

MANSFIELD – Sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way. It sure seemed that way for the Mansfield University basketball team Saturday afternoon in Decker Gymnasium.

Mansfield's Joe Bell scored a game-high 24 points and moved into second place on the all-time scoring list, but the ball always seemed to bounce the other way during key runs as the Mountaineers dropped a 93-81 decision to West Chester in a PSAC East contest Saturday afternoon.

West Chester scored the game's first five points and led 11-5 four minutes into the game before a 3-pointer by Andreas Katopodis igniting a 9-0 run to put the Mountaineers up 14-11 on a dunk by Bell two minutes later.

Mansfield still led 22-19 at the midpoint of the first half on a 3-pointer by Bell before West Chester chipped away taking a 30-26 lead on a free throw by Avery Brown with just over seven minutes remaining before halftime.

The Golden Rams extended the lead to a 48-38 advantage before a layup by Balla Thiam at the buzzed made 48-40 score at intermission.

Bell and teammate Charles Pemberton got into early foul trouble forcing the Mountaineers two leading scorers to miss a combined 13 minutes of play in the first half.

The Mountaineers trailed 58-48 after the first five minutes of the second half before another Bell 3-pointer started a 10-1 run with Mansfield closing to 59-58 on a 3-pointer by Thomas Moore with 13 minutes to play.

West Chester countered with a 10-0 run of its own building a 69-58 lead three minutes later before Mansfield rallied again to pull to 69-65 on a Da`Quan Jones free throw with eight minutes to go but could pull no closer.

Bell scored 10 points in the first half and moved passed Brett Longpre` (1765, 2000-2004) into second place on the all-time scoring list when he hit a 3-pointer ninety-seconds into the second half. It looked as if Bell would indeed break the scoring record after he picked up his 23rd point five minutes into the half, but the senior hit just one free throw over the last 15 minutes of the contest.

Bell scored 12 of his points on 3-pointers and now has 1775 points in his career needing three more points to tie Tommy Harvey (1,778, 1997-2000) and four points to take sole possession of the scoring title.

Thomas Moore scored 17 points and dished our five assists while Charles Pemberton added 12 points and six rebounds. Freshman Bella Thiam come off the bench to score a season-high 10 points.

Avery Brown led a balanced West Chester offense with 18 points while four other players, including Matt Wiseley and Cory Blake with 14 points each, scored in double-figures.

West Chester connected on 30-of-42 from the free throw line to Mansfield's 14-of-25 performance and outrebounded the Mountaineers 49-34.

The loss dropped Mansfield to 5-9 and seventh place in the PSAC East, trailing Lock Haven, Millersville and Shippensburg for the final playoff berth. West Chester remains in third place in the East with a 7-7 division mark.

Mansfield host second-place Kutztown this Wednesday evening.