Penn State York Wins Third PSUAC Men's Basketball Title in Five Years, Tops Penn State Beaver

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State York captured their third PSUAC Men's Basketball title in five years, and their seventh since 2013, as they toppled Penn State Beaver 86-75 in Rec Hall on the University Park campus Monday night.

Despite a game- and career-high performance from Jermaine Knaff, who finished with 33 points, Beaver (14-15, 9-7 PSUAC) was unable to match York's depth as five players from the victors scored 13 or more points, including Terrell Neal who led his team with 18.

Tony Benkovic hit four three-pointers for York (27-4, 15-1 PSUAC), including a late dagger, en route to 17 points, while James Barlow collected 13 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks. Quentin Wells and Donnell Campbell Jr. added 15 and 14 points, respectively, as York used a big first half to control the game. 

Knaff hit eight triples for Beaver, which accounted for 67 percent of their makes from long range. Joe Pinto dished out seven assists, including several to Knaff. Beaver forced York to turn the ball over 20 times on the night, but struggled to contend on the glass as York outrebounded Beaver 37-26.

York was efficient from the field, hitting 46 percent of their shots in the first half as they grabbed a 47-34 lead at the break. Beaver made a run midway through the second half as Jabari Gayle, who finished with 14 points, made a jumper with 7:41 left to cut the York lead to three at 64-61. Barlow answered with a quick basket before Benkovic hit a three from the corner a less than 90 seconds later to extend the lead back to eight.

Beaver hung around, cutting their deficit to five on three different occasions, but couldn't get enough stops as four late free throws sealed the win for York.

York's win provides them the PSUAC's automatic bid into the 2026 United States Collegiate Athletic Association Men's Division II National Championship tournament scheduled to begin March 2nd in Buffalo, NY. Beaver, who was unranked in the latest USCAA Coaches Poll, would need an at-large bid to continue their season.