WEST CHESTER, Pa.- Entering play as winners of three in a row, the West Chester men's basketball team (9-4, 4-3) will look to extend its winning streak vs Shippensburg (7-6, 5-2) inside Hollinger Field House on Wednesday night beginning at 7:30.
Series Information
West Chester holds a 73-35 lead in the all-time series vs Shippensburg, although the Golden Rams and Raiders have found the series to be much closer in recent years, with Shippensburg taking three of the last five meetings. West Chester enters play with a one-game winning streak in the series, earning a tight home court victory by a 71-70 final. West Chester has gone 4-2 at home vs Shippensburg dating back to the 2017-18 season, with its last win at SHIP coming in the 2015-16 season.
In the second meeting between West Chester and Shippensburg last year, West Chester trailed by as many as 14 early in the first half, but a 28-5 run to end the first half allowed the Golden Rams to carry a 36-27 lead into the halftime break. The lead was short-lived as Shippensburg countered quickly to open the second half, setting up the opportunity for an
Elijah Allen three with 1:38 to play to be the difference maker, giving West Chester a 71-68 lead, which would hold up after a last-second attempt by Shippensburg did not find its mark.
Flock Talk
After a narrow win over Mansfield to open PSAC East play, West Chester turned in a great performance at Kutztown on Saturday afternoon, trailing for just one minute of action, extending its lead to as many as 19 points in the 72-57 win over the Golden Bears. West Chester had five players in double figures in the win, marking the third time this season and the second time in the last three games that West Chester has had this impressive level of balance.
Kyle McGee and
Elijah Allen tied for the team lead in scoring with 16 each, while McGee also came away with 11 rebounds and five assists, registering his first double-double of the young season.
Robert Smith finished with 11 of his own, while
Eli Barrett and
Joshua Walker each chipped in 10. Barrett's 10 points also allowed the senior big to reach a major milestone, scoring his 1000th collegiate point on the final WCU basket of the game with under 30 seconds to play in the road victory.
West Chester has been difficult to beat at home this year, playing to a mark of 6-2 on its home floor, including four wins in a row dating back to Saturday, December 3
rd, vs Gannon. With an overall mark of 9-4 following its win over Kutztown on Saturday afternoon, West Chester enters play averaging 77.5 points per game, shooting 43.3 % from the field and 32.2 % from beyond the arc, which was right on par with what West Chester did Saturday afternoon, shooting 43.9 % from the field and 30.4 % from deep. West Cheser did a nearly perfect 7-of-8 (87.5 %) from the line on Saturday afternoon, which was well above the 69.6 % season average for the Golden Rams. McGee picked up his first double-double of the season on Saturday and, in doing so, moved into a tie for first in scoring, averaging 15.8 points per game while also moving into third in rebounding (5.8/g) and remaining first in assists (3.7/g). Smith remains atop the team in scoring, although now tied with McGee averaging 15.8 points per game, while also sitting in second on the team in steals per game, averaging 1.5 per contest.
Scouting Shippensburg
For its part, Shippensburg enters play coming off a 79-70 win in its last outing over Edinboro, holding a four-point lead at the half before eventually pulling away for the nine-point crossover victory. Carlos Carter, who has led the team in scoring throughout the year, averaging 17.8 points per game, led the squad in scoring with 31 points on Saturday, while Dom Sleva, who is averaging a double-double on the year, finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Sleva is first on the team in rebounding on the year, averaging 12.5 per game, while also sitting in second in scoring, averaging 15.2 points per game. Sleva is also first on the squad in steals per game, coming away with an average of 1.5 steals per contest, including three in the win on Saturday.
Shippensburg is shooting an average of 42.7 % from the field and 32.4 % from deep, both of which were improved upon on Saturday afternoon, shooting a solid 47.4 % from the field and 35.7 % from beyond while also shooting 87.0 % from the line in the victory. The Raiders, who have won the rebounding battle throughout much of the season, holding a +1.9 advantage on the glass for the year, were outrebounded by a wide margin on Saturday, dropping the battle by a 42-29, -13 margin in the crossover victory.
Up Next:
West Chester returns to action on Saturday afternoon at Clarion beginning at 3 p.m. in the first of a three-game road trip, which will see West Chester remain away until Monday the 23
rd vs Shepherd.
