WEST CHESTER, Pa.- Following another unbeaten month of November, the West Chester men's basketball team (5-0) is preparing itself for arguably its biggest test's of the semester so far as PSAC play opens this weekend vs Pitt-Johnstown (4-2) and No. 3/7 IUP (5-0). Friday night, West Chester will host Pitt-Johnstown inside Hollinger Field House with play beginning at approximately 7:30 p.m. before hosting IUP inside Hollinger on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. as well.
Fan Information
Each game this weekend will bring with it a special event for Golden Ram fans to be aware of, with Friday night being a doubleheader in honor of Antoine Lewis Jr. while Saturday night is scheduled as a"Gold Out." On Friday evening, prior to its game vs. Pitt-Johnstown, West Chester will conduct a moment of silence in honor of the life and legacy of West Chester men's basketball player Antoine Lewis Jr., who tragically passed away around this time a year ago. Lewis Jr. was a member of the historic 2019-20 West Chester team, appearing in 29 games and averaging 5.5 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. Fans are encouraged to stay for a full ceremony prior to the beginning of the men's game, which will include a memorial message, moment of silence, words from Lewis's family, and the placing of his Purple #5 jersey on the end of the Golden Ram bench where it will remain throughout the 2021-22 season.
On Saturday evening, fans are encouraged to wear gold to support the Golden Rams and create a "Gold Out" atmosphere when they come out to support the West Chester women's and men's basketball teams in their battles vs nationally-ranked IUP.
Reviewing the Series
West Chester and Pitt-Johnstown have met 13 times in their respective histories, with West Chester holding an 8-5 lead in the all-time series vs the Mountain Cats, having won each of the last four meetings. The last time the two teams met was at home during the 2018-19 season, which the Golden Rams would win by a 70-58 final. Historically against IUP, West Chester is 10-5 against Head Coach Joe Lombardi; however, the Golden Rams do hold a 3-2 lead in home games against the Crimson Hawks since the 2011-12 season. In regular-season matchups between the two teams, IUP holds a slim 18-9 lead in the all-time series, having won each of the last three meetings between the two squads.
Since the PSAC began counting PSAC East-West crossover games in the PSAC standings during the 2011-12 season, West Chester has won 68.9 % (31-14) of the crossover games while also winning 77.4 % (103-30) of its home games dating back to the 2011-12 season.
Flock Talk
West Chester enters play on Friday night following a narrow 74-69 victory over Holy Family in its last game on Sunday afternoon. In this game, West Chester and Holy Family traded points throughout much of the early going, but the Golden Rams carried a slim, four-point (40-36) lead into the halftime break. Out of the break, West Chester opened up with an 8-2 run to take a 48-38 lead, which would prove to be the largest lead of the game by either side. Holy Family roared back with a 9-0 run to make it a one-point game and eventually retook the lead, stretching its advantage to 63-58 with under seven minutes to play. West Chester stiffened defensively in the final minutes, holding the Tigers to just six points down the stretch while scoring 16 of its own to earn the 74-69 comeback victory.
Robert Smith led the Golden Rams in scoring with 16 points, while
Jamil Manigo (15 points) and
Matt Dade (13 points) each registered double-doubles in the comeback win.
For the year, the freshman duo of
Jamil Manigo (Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) and
Robert Smith (Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) are tied for the team lead in scoring, with each player averaging 14.8 points per game while
Matt Dade (Collegeville, Pa./Episcopal Academy) enters play with a three-game double-double streak while averaging a double-double (14 points/g and 10 rebounds/g) so far this season. Fellow sophomore
Kyle McGee (Jersey City, N.J./St. Mary's of the Assumption) Is second on the squad in rebounding, averaging 8.4 rebounds per game while also leading the team in steals averaging 2.2 thefts per contest.
As a team, West Chester is scoring an average of 85.6 points per game while holding opponents to an average of just 70.6 per game (+15.0 scoring margin). The team has shot 44.4 % on the year from the field while also shooting 34.2 % from deep and outrebounding opponents by an impressive 48.4 to 38.4 margin on the year.
Scouting Pitt-Johnstown
Pitt-Johnstown enters today's game coming off a loss vs non-league foe Malone on Tuesday night to conclude its non-league schedule. In this contest, John Paul Kromka led the way in scoring with a team-high 22 en route to scoring his 1000th career point, but it was not enough to overcome a seven-point halftime deficit in a 102-84 road loss. In addition to Kromka's efforts, Fred Mulbah and Drew Magestro ended with 19 points each, while Mulbah nearly registered a double-double, finishing the night with nine assists in the setback. As a team, UPJ shot an impressive 61.7 % from the field and 41.2 % from three but managed just 60 % from the line in its five trips to the stripe on the evening.
Kromka, who scored his 1000
th-point vs Malone on Tuesday night, enters play as the Mountain Cats leader in most major statistical categories, averaging 16.8 points per game and 9.0 rebounds per game while ranking second on the squad in assists, averaging 2.5 per game. Freshman guard Ryan Smith has also been a factor for the Mountain Cats early in his career, ranking second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.0 points per game through the first six games of the year.
For the year, UPJ enters play, averaging 86.3 points per game and shooting an impressive 51.7 % from the field and 36.9 % from range while limiting opponents to 79.0 points per game on 43.1 % shooting from the field and 35.0 % from deep.
Scouting IUP
Perennial power, IUP (5-0) enters play ranked within the top-10 in the Nation in both the media (D2SIDA-ranked 3
rd) and coaches (#7 NABC) following a convincing 97-45 victory over Virginia State on November 27th. IUP shot 67.8 % from the field in this contest, which was the team's best shooting performance since shooting 68.1 % vs Slippery Rock in February 2017. IUP will put its unblemished record to the test twice this weekend as the Crimson Hawks are scheduled to visit Kutztown (2-3) on Friday night before visiting Hollinger Field House on Saturday evening. Hollinger has served as a house of horrors for the Crimson Hawks in recent years as they are just 2-3 inside the facility since the 2011-12 season, including a 93-78 loss in their last visit during the 2017-18 season.
In the victory over Virginia State, junior Armoni Foster registered his first career triple-double with 22 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds, while senior Shawndale Jones, the team's leading scorer (25.6/G) this year, poured in 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the field.
Under Lombardi's tutelage, IUP is 11-3 in PSAC openers, with four consecutive wins (last loss was at WCU in 2017), while also sweeping its season-opening crossover games each of the last four years (once again dating back to the 2017 loss at WCU).
As a team, IUP leads the PSAC in a host of categories this season, including scoring (95.6/G), field-goal percentage (55.7 %), three-point shooting (43.0 %), made three-pointers per game (9.8/G), rebounding margin (+11.0), and assists per game (20.8/G). Jones, averaging 25.6 points per game, is currently leading the PSAC while also ranking sixth in all of Division II in scoring through the early part of the season. Foster, who enjoyed an impressive performance in his last game, could become the second consecutive visiting player to come to Hollinger Field House after scoring his 1000
th-point as he is just 14 points away entering tonight's game at Kutztown. Fifth-year senior Tommy Demogerontas has been a force for IUP in the paint this year, as the 6-8 forward enters play averaging 13.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per game while also shooting an impressive 70.0 % from three-point land on the season.
Up Next
Following this weekend's games, West Chester will take to the road for the remainder of the 2021 half of its schedule, with its next game coming on Tuesday, December 14
th, in a rare mid-week matinee at Seton Hill, with that game set to begin at 4:30 p.m. in Greensburg.
