KUTZTOWN, Pa.- Following an impressive win over Mansfield, which featured the fourth triple-double in program history courtesy of
Leah Johnson (Columbus, N.J./Notre Dame), the West Chester women's basketball team (7-5, 4-2) is ready for its next PSAC East matchup at Kutztown (5-7, 3-3) on Saturday afternoon.
Series Information
West Chester enters play on Saturday afternoon holding a 46-36 lead in the all-time series vs Kutztown; however, the Golden Rams also find themselves in the midst of a four-game losing streak, having dropped both ends of the season series in each of the last two years after winning four of five prior to this streak.
West Chester led early, holding a two-point lead with under five minutes to play in the first quarter, but a 17-4 run by Kutztown to close out the frame gave the Golden Bears a 25-14 lead heading into the second quarter, which Kutztown head coach Janet Malouf's charges would never relinquish.
Kyra Jefferson was the lone Golden Ram in double figures in this setback, finishing with 11 points.
Flock Talk
Looking to halt a three-game losing streak in its PSAC East openers, West Chester returned to the court on Wednesday evening vs Mansfield. West Chester raced out to an early lead, holding a 15-point lead at the end of the first quarter before Mansfield began its second-quarter comeback, which saw the Mounties trim the lead to single digits (38-29) at the half. West Chester found another gear in the second half, outscoring its guests 37-14 in the second 20 minutes, including 14-4 in the third period to cruise to a 32-point, 75-43 victory.
Anna McTamney scored 25 points, while
Leah Johnson finished with a triple-double, the fourth in school history with 14/12/12.
Emily McAteer also logged her league-best seventh double-double of the year, moving her into a tie for 11
th in Division II women's basketball in double-doubles, finishing with 11 and 10 in the victory. Wednesday night's dual double and triple double effort by Johnson and McAteer marked the first time in head coach
Kiera Wooden's tenure in which she had players register a triple double and double double in the same game, it is also the first time in school history in which West Chester accomplished this feat in a game against a PSAC East opponent.
With her triple-double on Wednesday night vs Mansfield, Johnson became just the fourth player in school history to record a triple-double, joining an elite group, which included Amy Buda (2001 vs Green Mountain), Mia Hopkins (2017-18 vs Cheyney), and Gabrielle Troisi (2018-19 vs Millersville-PSAC Tournament). Johnson has been knocking on the door of a performance like this throughout the season, ranking in the top three on the team in most major categories, including scoring (14.5/g-3
rd), rebounding (7.7/g-3
rd), and assists (7.8/g-1
st) while her 7.8 assists per game also lead both the PSAC and rank third in the Nation, trailing only two players who are in a tie for first at 7.9 assists per contest. Johnson has not had to go it alone by any stretch this season as the Golden Rams have four players averaging in double figures on the year with
Anna McTamney (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) and
Emily McAteer (Thornton, Pa./Garnet Valley) ranking first and second on the team in scoring, averaging 16.3 and 16.0 points per game, respectively.
As a team, West Chester has shown itself to be the top offensive unit in the league throughout the season, averaging a loop-best 78.7 points per game, thanks in large part to 44.3 % shooting from the field despite shooting sub-30 % from three-point territory. West Chester has also been among the best in the league at converting its opportunities from the stripe this year, shooting 76.4 %, which is third overall and first in the PSAC East, just ahead of Saturday's opponent Kutztown, who has converted 76.3 % of its free throws this season. West Chester has also done well on the glass this year, corralling an average of 43.1 rebounds per game, which is second best in the PSAC, trailing only IUP, and has been a major key to success as all seven of the Golden Rams victories have come in games in which West Chester won the rebounding battle.
Scouting Kutztown
Kutztown enters play coming off a loss in its most recent contest, its second loss in as many games, this time falling to Pitt-Johnstown on the road on Monday night while much of the rest of the league was busy opening Divisional play. Kutztown led by three at the end of the first quarter, but Pitt-Johnstown stormed back in the second to erase its early deficit and never trailed again, outscoring Kutztown 57-40 the rest of the way to earn a 70-56 victory over the Golden Bears. Abby Hearn led the team in scoring with 20 points, which has been somewhat normal for the junior forward this year as she leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.4 points per game. Hearn also came away with six rebounds, which is another relatively normal sign for the Golden Bears as she is second on the team in rebounding, averaging 5.0 rebounds per game, trailing only Casey Remolde, who leads the team in both rebounding (5.9/g) and assists (2.2/g) while ranking second on the team in scoring (10.6/g).
Kutztown shot 39.5 % from the field and 42.9 % from deep in the setback on Wednesday night, shooting over its season average in both categories, shooting 38.2 % from the field and 34.3 % from three-point range on the season. Extra possessions have not been kind to the Golden Bears this season, losing both the rebounding and turnover battle throughout the season, averaging a -0.8 loss in turnover margin while grabbing just 34.7 rebounds per game, which is an average of 1.2 rebounds less than its opponents.
Up Next
West Chester returns to action on Wednesday evening at home vs Shippensburg beginning at 5:30 p.m. in what will be team's final home game until Monday, January 23
rd, vs Shepherd.
