2014 PSAC Men's Basketball Championship Homepage
West Chester Game Notes
Gannon Game Notes
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EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. - West Chester University makes its third straight trip to the conference semifinals this weekend when the Golden Rams travel to East Stroudsburg University for a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference semifinal contest against Gannon University Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.
Tournament Passes (three-game package) are $14 for adults and $5 for students. As always, it is free admission for PSAC students with valid ID. Only the tournament passes will be sold on Saturday. Tickets for the championship game on Sunday are $8 for adults and $3 for students and free admission for PSAC students with valid ID.
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The other semifinal matchup has Mercyhurst battling host East Stroudsburg. Game time is 3:30 p.m. The semifinal survivors will play at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday in the title game, which will be televised lived on PCN.
West Chester got to this point in the playoffs with a quarterfinal round win over Bloomsburg at home on Tuesday. The Golden Rams received a bye in the first round by virtue of its second-place finish in the Eastern Division standings. Gannon topped Slippery Rock in double overtime on Tuesday in the quarterfinals. The Golden Knights won the Western Division and received a first-round bye in the postseason tournament as well.
WEST CHESTER LANDS IN SEMIFINALS FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR
West Chester University faces Gannon University in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference semifinals Saturday afternoon. It marks the third straight trip to the conference fnal four, which is the second-longest active streak behind only this weekend's host East Stroudsburg, who is making its fifth straight trip. In those past two trips to the semifinals, West Chester is 1-1, having reached the title game in 2012 and losing to Indiana, Pa., last winter. Today's tilt will be the second meeting of the season between the two schools, but it will also be the first postseason meeting between the squads. West Chester defeated Gannon, 73-72, back on Jan. 4 inside Hollinger Field House.
SCOUTING GANNON
Gannon is participating in its fourth PSAC Tournament during six years in the PSAC. Head coach John T. Reilly entered the 2013-14 season 43rd among active NCAA Division II coaches in career victories (373) and 68th in career winning percentage (.618). He became the fifth men's basketball coach in school history to record 100 wins at Gannon January 29, 2011, against Clarion. Reilly became the second coach in program history to guide the Golden Knights to 150 wins January 15 against Indiana (Pa.).
Gannon has been a rebounding machine during its nine seasons under head coach John Reilly. The Golden Knights led the country in rebounding margin (11.3) during his first season in 2005-06. Gannon ranked fourth nationally in 2007-08. The Golden Knights then led the PSAC (9.4) and ranked fourth in Division II in 2008-09. Opponents have out-rebounded Gannon only 46 times in the last 230 games. The Golden Knights have out-rebounded 24 of 27 opposing teams this season and 138 of their last 185 opponents.
Gannon has won 77 of its last 81 games when scoring 80 points or more dating back to the
2003-04 season. The Golden Knights are 99-6 when reaching the 80-point plateau during the last 12 seasons. Defensively, the Knights are 193-60 during the last 12 seasons when holding opponents under 70 points. Gannon has won 138 of its last 165 games when leading at halftime. The Golden Knights have won 115 of their last 132 games and 169 of their
last 198 when leading at halftime
HOCKADAY AND BLAKE ALL-PSAC EAST
West Chester University's Troy Hockaday and Cory Blake were each named All-PSAC East it was announced Thursday afternoon by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Hockaday was a first time pick while Blake was a second team selection.
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Hockaday makes his first appearance on an all-league squad. He leads the Golden Rams in scoring with a 16.3 points per game average. The senior co-captain has been the most consistent player for head coach Damien Blair's group all winter. He averages 5.0 rebounds per game and has dished out 65 assists. Hockaday ranks 11th in the PSAC in scoring and ninth in the conference in steals (45). Hockaday's 65 assists ranks 23rd in the PSAC as well.
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Blake averages 12.8 points per game and ranks 27th in the PSAC in scoring. He was a preseason all-league selection and a second team All-PSAC East pick last winter. This is his second appearance on an all-league team during his three years in college. Blake currently has 971 career points as he climbs closer to the 1,000-point milestone. Blake also ranks 22nd in the PSAC in rebounding, averaging 5.9 caroms per game. Blake also serves as co-captain of the Golden Rams, along with Hockaday.
CORY BLAKE ZEROES IN ON 1,000 CAREER POINTS
Junior forward Cory Blake has 971 career points heading into the postseason. He is currently 29 points shy of reach 1,000. Blake would become the 24th player in school history to reach 1,000 points when he finally hits that milestone. The last Golden Rams player to accomplish the feat in their junior year was former guard Kenneth St. George.
WEST CHESTER DROPS OUT OF LATEST REGIONAL POLL
West Chester University dropped out of the NCAA Atlantic Region poll that was released last Wednesday. The Golden Rams were previously ranked seventh regionally the last week of the regular season. However, a three-point loss on the road to the region's second-ranked club seemed to be enough to drop them below No. 10 regionally. The top eight schools in the regional rankings at the end of the year will qualify for the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament. However, automatic qualifier bids go to the conference tournament champions of both the PSAC and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) - whether they appear in the regional rankings, or not. The Atlantic Region is made up of three conferences: PSAC, CIAA and Mountain East Conference (MEC). The MEC does not receive an automatic qualifying spot this season.
DOWN TO THE WIRE WITH THESE TWO COMBATANTS
Fans can expect a game that will go right down to the last second if the recent history between these two clubs is any indications of how the first semifinal will play out Saturday. The last three meetings between the two schools have been decided by a total of seven points with the last two contests being decided on the team's final possession. WCU's Cory Blake intercepted a pass in the final seconds and converted a layup to lift the Golden Rams to the win in Hollinger Field House in early January. Shannon Given's 17-footer with 18 seconds left in 2012 made a winner out of West Chester while the game between the two sides went into overtime in 2011.
BLAIR JOINS CENTURY CLUB FOR WINS BY A WCU HEAD COACH
West Chester University head coach Damien Blair became just the fourth head coach in WCU history to reach 100 career wins earlier this season. Blair has won 109 games in his six seasons and guided his charges to the PSAC semifinals in each of his last two years, including a spot in the conference championship game in 2011-12. Last winter, Blair registered his first 20-win season, leading the Golden Rams back to the PSAC semifinals.
WEST CHESTER THE GRAND DADDY OF DIVISION II
West Chester University has fielded a men's basketball team since 1897. In those 117 years of college basketball, the Golden Rams have amassed 1,330 career victories entering the postseason. The Golden Rams became the 17th school in Division II history and second in the PSAC to reach 1,300 career wins last season (Millersville). West Chester University does hold the distinction of being the oldest Division II program in the country with its 117 years of college men's basketball. Millersville is the second-oldest program.
SUNDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TO AIR LIVE ON PCN
PCN will be airing LIVE coverage of both the men's and women's PSAC championship games statewide on Sunday, March 9 beginning at 1 p.m. The games can be viewed on cable at PCN, or online and on-the-go during the network airing with PCN Select. To subscribe to the PCN Select streaming service, http://pcntv.com/pcn-plus/subscribe-to-premium-content/. The PCN Select App can then be downloaded from the app or play store after subscribing to the PCN Select service.
