WEST CHESTER, Pa.-Looking to get on its first winning streak of the season, the West Chester University women's basketball team (2-2) will take to the road on Tuesday night to take on Lincoln (2-2) with that game scheduled to tip-off at 6 p.m. inside Manuel Rivero Hall on the campus of Lincoln University.
West Chester enters this contest coming off an 88-78 win over Salem on Saturday afternoon that was driven by four different Golden Rams scoring in double-figures for the first time in 2018.
Destiny Jefferson (Scranton, Pa./West Scranton) was the Golden Rams leading scorer as she poured in a career-high 24 points while also pulling down seven rebounds while teammate
Gabrielle Troisi (Norristown, Pa./Pope John Paul II) registered her second double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman
Zhane Snow (Wilmington, Del./Concord) found her way into double figures as well scoring 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field while teammate
Katherine Fisher (Rutledge, Pa./Strath Haven) was the final Golden Ram to break into double-figures with 10 points and seven rebounds of her own.
The first and third quarters proved to be the difference makers for West Chester in this contest as the Golden Rams outscored their guests 26-15 and 31-26 in these two quarters, while being outscored by three in the second and fourth quarters. However, the early leads built up to open each half proved to be enough to guide West Chester to the victory.
West Chester ended the game with its largest rebounding advantage of the 2018 season at plus-13 after outrebounding its guests 55-42 before the conclusion of the game. From the field, West Chester shot the highest percentage it has shot all season long shooting 37-of-76 (48.7 %) from the field. However, West Chester did struggle mightily from three-point range in this contest as the Golden Rams were just 4-of-19 (21.1 %) from deep in this contest. West Chester also continued to struggle at the charity stripe shooting its lowest percentage of the year as the Golden Rams went 10-for-22 (45.5 %) from the line in the victory.
Troisi is the Golden Rams leading scorer so far in 2018 averaging 17 points per game while also leading the team in rebounding averaging 10 rebounds per contest. Jefferson is close behind in points per game as she is averaging 16 points per contest while also leading the team in assists per game with 4.5 and steals per game with 2.0. Snow is averaging 11.8 points per game as well to open her collegiate career while also leading the team in three-point percentage shooting a solid 41.7 % (5-of-12) from three-point land to start her career.
Lincoln enters this contest looking to avoid a losing streak as the Lions enter play having dropped their last contest to the Rams of Jefferson University by a final score of 70-64. The second quarter is what doomed the Lions in this contest as they were outscored 18-7 in this frame to head to the half trailing 28-23. In the second half, Lincoln attempted to mount a comeback but Jefferson was able to match the Lions efforts as the two sides each scored 25 points in the third quarter before Jefferson scored 17 to Lincoln's 16 in the fourth and final quarter of play. DeAshia Young was the leading scorer for Lincoln in this contest as she scored 18 points while also coming away with six rebounds and four assists although she also turned the ball over a game-high nine times. Teammate Deja Reynolds narrowly missed a double-double as she scored 12 points while pulling down nine rebounds in the six point loss.
Young has been the leading scorer for Lincoln throughout the year as she has averaged 15.8 points per game while also leading the team in assists per game. However, taking care of the ball has also been an issue for Young to open the 2018 season as she also leads the team in turnovers per game averaging 5.5 per contest. Shakira Edwards is second on the team in both scoring and rebounding in 2018 as she is averaging 10.8 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per contest.
As a team, Lincoln is averaging 66.3 points per game while shooting 38.8 % (92-of-237) from the field, 25.0 % (18-of-72) from three-point range, and 70.8 % (63-of-89) from the line. Lincoln's opponents have performed very similarly to the Lions this year as they are averaging 63.5 points per game shooting 33.6 % (80-of-238) from the field, 28.8 % (23-of-80) from three-point range and 67.0 % (71-of-106) from the line. This seemingly solid Lincoln defense will be put to the test on Tuesday evening as the Golden Ram offense has been strong this year eclipsing the 70 point marker in every game and averaging 75.3 points per game to open the season.
Lincoln has had varied levels of success against the PSAC in 2018 as the Lions opened the season by defeating Kutztown, 86-71 before falling to Bloomsburg, 47-54. Historically, West Chester has had the upper-hand in matchups against the Lions as West Chester is 4-1 all-time against its crosstown foes. However, West Chester did drop its most recent contest to Lincoln to open the 2015-16 season as the Golden Rams fell 64-54. This game was also Head Coach Keira Wooden's first game against the Lions as the Golden Rams head coach, which makes Wooden 0-1 against Lincoln in her coaching career.
Following this game West Chester will be back in action on Sunday afternoon at home against Holy Family with that game scheduled to tipoff at 1 p.m. inside Hollinger Field House.
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