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WEEKEND INFORMATION
Opponent: Mercyhurst University
Date: Saturday, December 9, 2017
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Hollinger Field House - 150 University Ave, West Chester, Pa. 19383
Live Audio:
http://wche1520.com/
Live Video:
https://portal.stretchinternet.com/wcupa/
Live Stats:
http://www.sidearmstats.com/wcupa/wbball/
BREAKDOWN
SCOUTING WEST CHESTER
Head Coach: Kiera Wooden
Conference: Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)
Overall Record: 4-3
Conference Record: 1-3
Streak: L2
Team Page:
http://www.wcupagoldenrams.com/index.aspx?path=wbball
Flock Talk
West Chester comes into Saturday's conference battle against Mercyhurst University with a 4-3 overall record behind a 1-3 mark in league play. The Golden Rams last hit the court this past weekend, when the team reopened Hollinger Field House with two Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) contests after venue renovations forced the squad to play its opening "home" games at Widener University. It was a less than joyous homecoming for West Chester though, as the team dropped both its games against No. 7 Indiana University of Pennsylvania (86-75) and Seton Hill University (86-76) to fall to 4-3 overall on the season. Despite the two losses, the talk of the entire weekend was centered around the gutsy performance from West Chester star guard
Porscha Speller (Lancaster, Pa. / Lancaster Catholic), who logged arguably the best weekend series of her decorated career. Speller dropped 16 points and six boards on Saturday against the ranked Crimson Hawks, before logging a career-high 31 points and 14 rebounds to go along with a team-best seven assists in the Golden Rams' loss on Sunday to Seton Hill. During the two-day span, Porscha averaged 23.5 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists per game while playing in all but three minutes across the two contests.
Roster Check
Coming off a First Team All-PSAC East selection last season, Speller has continued to impress during her senior campaign. The Lancaster native currently leads the Golden Rams and ranks third in the conference in both points per game (21.6) and field goal percentage (.500), while her 6.7 boards per outing makes Speller one of the most dangerous rebounding guards in the entire league. The lead guard has been very successful against Mercyhurst in her career- averaging 16 points/game in two previous meetings – highlighted by a 27-point performance last year that was a career high for her prior to Sunday's 31-point outburst.
After failing to notch a double-double for just the second time this season on Sunday, forward
Mia Hopkins (Pittston, Pa. / Pittston) heads into Saturday's matchup against Mercyhurst averaging 15.9 points and 11.7 rebounds per outing. Her 11.7 rebounds/game puts the senior at No. 2 in the PSAC and No. 12 in NCAA DII, while her five double-doubles in seven games are currently ninth most in the country heading into Saturday's matchup. Hopkins last faced Mercyhurst during her junior season at Bloomsburg University - a game where she put up 17 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and five steals to lead the Huskies to a 66-61 victory inside the Nelson Field House in Bloomsburg.
Playing primarily off the ball, senior
Lexi Bruno (Millville, N.J. / Millville) has been one of the most consistent guards in the country this season. Bruno returns to Hollinger on Saturday averaging 8.5 points and 3.8 helpers per outing and having committed only seven turnovers in 175 minutes played. Bruno's 3.3 assist/turnover ratio is tops in the PSAC through seven games and puts the transfer from Goldey-Beacom College ninth in the country amongst eligible players.
Team Stats and All That
The Golden Rams feature the highest scoring offense in the PSAC at 85.4 points per contest (No. 7 NCAA - DII) on a league-best .470 shooting from the field (No. 14 - NCAA DII). West Chester's 19.4 assists/game (No. 10 – NCAA DII) are also tops in the conference thus far and its 1.37 assist/turnover ratio (No. 11 – NCAA DII) puts Head Coach Kiera Wooden's squad atop the league rankings. The Golden Rams' 66.1% (39-of-59) shooting in its lopsided win against Clarion on November 18 is still the best single-game number in the country and the 106 total points the Golden Rams scored in that game are 18th most in nation thus far.
SCOUTING MERCYHURST
Head Coach: Deanna Richard
Conference: Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)
Overall Record: 4-5
Conference Record: 3-1
Streak: W1
Team Page:
http://www.hurstathletics.com/index.aspx?path=wbball
Lake Uptake
Head Coach Deanna Richard and Mercyhurst University enter Saturday's game at Hollinger at 4-5 (3-0 PSAC) overall and coming off a 65-51 victory at Mansfield University on Sunday. Despite no starters scoring in double figures against the Mountaineers, the Lakers were able to grab the 14-point road win thanks to a combined 31 points from Amber Renz and Rachel Chessar off the bench. Mercyhurst's No. 5 defense was in full effect against Mansfield on Sunday, as the Lakers held the home team to just 12% (3-of-25) shooting from beyond the arc and 19-of-60 (31.7%) shooting from the floor overall.
Roster Check
Sophomore Amber Renz paces the Laker offense and ranks and sixth in the PSAC with 19.0 points per outing. Connecting on 63% of her shots from the floor, Renz sits atop the conference and is ninth in country in field goal percentage, while her 87% clip from the foul line puts the Danville native at No. 6 in the league entering Saturday's game.
Junior Emilee Norris is Mercyhurst's leading rebounder at 6.2 boards/game and her 17 total blocks are top five in the PSAC and the most of any player on Lakers' roster. Last time out, Norris grabbed a game-high 12 boards against Mansfield to go along with four points and two blocks in 31 minutes played.
Team Stats and All That
Connecting on 56-of-160 (35%) shoots from deep, Mercyhurst comes into its game against West Chester as the second best three-point shooting team in the conference. The Lakers currently sit third in the league in both shooting percentage (.450) and three-point field goal defense (.238), while ranking fourth in the league in free throw percentage at 0.754. The Lakers are being outscored 66-64.6 (-1.4) through eight games and face a -9 turnover (21-12) margin ahead of its contest on Saturday.
