WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The West Chester University men's basketball team raced out to a 14-0 lead to start the game on Wednesday and never looked back, as the Golden Rams defeated Shippensburg 89-72 in the quarterfinals of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship.
With the victory on Wednesday, the Golden Rams snap a two-game losing streak and avenge a loss against the Raiders in the quarterfinals of last year's PSAC Championship. The Golden Rams are now slated to head to the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex on Saturday to battle No. 2 IUP in PSAC Semifinals after the Crimson Hawks downed Pitt-Johnstown 76-68 this evening at home. As the highest remaining seed in the West after the first two rounds of the tournament, IUP will play host for both the semifinals and finals this weekend, with the championship game scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Sunday.
SHORT STORY
It was all Golden Rams (22-7) from the start, as West Chester jumped out to a sizable 14-0 advantage to kick off Wednesday's contest. WCU kept the visiting Raiders off the scoreboard for nearly five minutes before a layup by Jake Tiss at the 15:26 mark finally broke the seal for Shippensburg inside the Hollinger Field House. The Raiders were able to trim the deficit to seven (16-9) with 13 minutes to play, but that would be as close as the visitors would get for the duration of the contest. Up by 19 late, a bucket by
Ian Langendoerfer (HONESDALE, PA./HONESDALE) would give the Golden Rams their largest lead of the first half (+21) as time expired on the first 20 minutes of action.
WCU was just as dominant in the second stanza, as the host team ballooned its cushion to as many as 26 (57-31) with just a shade under 16 to play. Despite serious foul trouble down the stretch, West Chester maintained a double-digit advantage for the remainder of the frame and eventually secured the 89-72 victory at home on Wednesday evening.
WEST CHESTER RUNDOWN
- The Golden Rams' 53% (32-of-60) mark from the field on Wednesday is the highest for the squad in its last 18 games, while WCU's 82% (18-of-22) clip from the charity stripe in tonight's victory is the team's best mark in their 19 outings.
- West Chester held a +15 (45-30) rebounding margin on the night and converted on 12 fast break points compared to just four by its opponent.
- Senior Jackson Hyland (AVONDALE, PA./KENNETT) led all scorers with 21 points on Wednesday evening, while the trio of seniors Matt Penecale (JENKINTOWN, PA./ABINGTON), Frank Rokins (PLAINFIELD, N.J./ST. MARY'S), and junior Malik Jackson (LANSDOWNE, PA./PENN WOOD) each ended the night with 13 points. Rokins also pulled down a game-high 10 boards on Wednesday to give the senior his ninth double-double of the season and his third in the last three games.
- Playing in 21 minutes, junior Tim Toro (SCRANTON, PA./ABINGTON HEIGHTS) swatted a season-high three shots on the night, while adding eight points and six rebounds.
SHIP FACTS
- The Raiders connected on 41% (25-of-61) of their shots from the floor and 39% (9-of-23) from beyond the arc. Shippensburg struggled to just a 57% (13-of-23) clip from the charity stripe in the loss, while the squad committed 13 turnovers and 22 personal fouls.
- Jake Biss paced the Raiders with 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the floor in a game-high 40 minutes. Antonio Kellem's 11 points represented the only other SU starter to score in double digits on Wednesday, while Dom Sleva led the Raider bench with 18 points and four rebounds.
- Shippensburg (23-7), who entered the game as the No. 6 team in Atlantic Region according to Wednesday's NCAA release, will have to now sit back and wait until Sunday's NCAA Selection Show to see if its season will continue at the 2019 NCAA Atlantic Region Championship.
UP NEXT
West Chester's semifinal battle against IUP is scheduled for this Saturday, March 9, at 3:30 p.m. inside the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex.
