NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Atlantic Regional
Hosted by Gannon University (Erie, Pa. – Hammermill Center)
Quarterfinal Game #1 – Saturday, March 14, 2009
ERIE, Pa. – Third-seeded Kutztown broke open a close game with a 10-0 run in the final three minutes of play to defeat sixth-seed West Virginia State 99-88 Saturday afternoon in the first game of the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Atlantic Regional hosted by Gannon University.
Leading 84-81, the 20th-ranked Golden Bears rattled off 10 consecutive points to secure the victory. Stephen Dennis scored the first five points, before Julius Gray’s three-pointer with 1:44 to play pushed Kutztown in front 92-81. Gray then capped the run with two free throws at the 1:15 mark for a 94-81 advantage.
Kutztown led 43-39 at halftime and out-scored West Virginia State 56-49 in the second half. The Golden Bears shot 70 percent (16-23) in the final 20 minutes and 55 percent (33-60) overall.
The contest featured great individual play on both teams. Dennis led Kutztown with 31 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Six Golden Bears reached double digits in scoring, including all five starters. Ted Scott poured in 31 points for West Virginia State. Darren Jones added 28 markers.
Kutztown improved to 27-4 and will play the Virginia Union-Indiana (Pa.) winner in the regional semifinals Sunday, March 15 at 5 p.m. West Virginia State concluded its season at 24-6.
A complete box score from Saturday’s Kutztown-West Virginia State NCAA Atlantic Regional Men’s Basketball quarterfinal game can be found at
http://www.gannonsports.com/documents/2009/3/14/ncaa1.htm?id=249.
