Bloomsburg Men's Basketball Defeated by West Chester

BLOOMSBURG -The Bloomsburg University men's basketball team held the lead on three different occasions in the first half, but a late first-half surge lifted West Chester to a 78-57 victory over the Huskies on Saturday afternoon.

The Huskies fell behind 5-2 in the first two minutes of play before a Michael Varanavage (Philadelphia/Archbishop Ryan) lay-up and a Ronnie Benson (Harleysville/Souderton) three-pointer gave Bloomsburg a 7-5 advantage with 17:47 remaining in the first half. The teams would trade baskets over the next twelve minutes, maintaining a one possession game for most of the first half. Trailing 20-18, Benson hit the second of his three three-pointers on the night to give the Huskies a 21-20 lead with 6:03 left in the first.

West Chester would respond though, with an 18-8 run over the final six minutes of the first half to take a 38-29 lead into halftime.

A Jesse Betar (Altoona/Altoona) lay-up with 14:55 left in the game cut the West Chester lead to nine, but the Huskies would come no closer. The Golden Rams out-scored Bloomsburg in the second half, 40-28.]

Benson the Huskies with 14 points, while MarkoVukajnk (Slovenia/Marist) added 10 points as well. Kenneth St. George had 19 points to lead West Chester.

With the loss, the Huskies fall to 3-12, 0-2 in the PSAC Eastern Division.

Bloomsburg returns to action on Wednesday Night when they travel to East Stroudsburg. That game will start at 8:00 p.m.