KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Frostburg State Men's Basketball team fell on the road to Kutztown by a final score of 70-66 Monday evening.
 
On the first possession for each team, sophomore Trey Simmons traded blocks with Omari Banks, with the former netting the game's first bucket from deep off freshman Mitch Finefrock's assist. Banks answered with a layup, though that would be the only two field goals through the first three minutes, before KU took their first lead off a Jalen Bryant three. Junior Mike Montano and Simmons then got to the cup for a trio of baskets while Finefrock nailed a triple to go up 12-7.
 
The game remained low-scoring until the midway point, as the Golden Bears hit a lay-in and split a trip to the line to pull within 14-12, however the Bobcats found their offensive rhythm from that point. Graduate Chase Whippen pulled down a rebound and quickly fed redshirt freshman DJ Daniel for a breakaway slam, then Montano converted a chance at the charity stripe to go up by six. Junior Zane McCarty then came up with a steal that allowed Daniel to feed Montano for two, then graduate Kyle Whippen fired a wing three on a pass from his brother to surge ahead 23-14.
 
Kutztown broke a two-minute scoring drought as Bryant hit a turnaround jumper but Kyle Whippen and Montano got to the basket twice to build a double-digit advantage. Each side traded turnovers and misses for the next 90 seconds, as Chase Whippen then found Finefrock for a trey off the left wing before making a pair of freebies to extend the lead to 32-17. Simmons and Chase Whippen then converted six-of-six at the line down the stretch, not allowing KU to build any momentum despite finding some offense, leading 38-26 as the clock hit zero.
 
Simmons got the second half scoring started with an and-one before Montano answered a KU lay-in and three with a basket from Chase Whippen's assist, maintaining the 12-point advantage. That would be FSU's only bucket for over three minutes, however, as misses and turnovers allowed Kutztown to pull all the way to within 43-41 after a trey and three consecutive layups. Montano got into the lane to end the run, while Finefrock got a steal before hitting from deep to halt the momentum and go back ahead by seven.
 
Montano split a trip to the line while Kyle Whippen got in for a layup to lead by double digits, however the offense again cooled off over a five-minute stretch. The Bears netted a three, two layups, and a trip to the line to pull within one, while Montano went three-of-four at the stripe to hold a 54-52 lead. KU took their first lead since the opening minutes in making three consecutive freebies with six minutes to go before trading layups with Simmons at 57-56. Neither side scored for the next three minutes, as Simmons and Montano made layups either side of a Kutztown three to level things 60-60.
 
The Golden Bears got to the cup on their next trip before taking advantage of a Bobcat miss with a deep make to move up 65-60. Simmons kept FSU hanging around with a three of his own, while Kyle Whippen made it a one-point game in the final minute with a right-wing triple at 67-66. After a foul, KU converted their free throws, as Frostburg couldn't hit on either of their potential game-tying heaves, as a late split trip gave the hosts the 70-66 victory.
 
Four Bobcats reached double figures, led by Montano's 20, followed by Simmons (19), Kyle Whippen (12), and Finefrock (11). The Whippens combined for 22 rebounds, as Chase led FSU with five assists, while Montano added a pair of blocks and steals.
 
With the loss, Frostburg drops to 2-3, while Kutztown improves to 2-1. FSU next heads into Mountain East Conference play as they remain on the road to face West Virginia Wesleyan on Wednesday, December 3 at 7:30 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.