WEST CHESTER, Pa- Michelle Kozicki (Wilmington, Del./Padua) led all scorers with 20 points and 14 rebounds to help carry the 13^th-ranked West Chester University women's basketball team (1-0) to a 77-69 victory over Elizabeth City State University (0-1) to conclude the opening day of the 36th Carol Eckman Memorial Classic presented by Hampton Inn of Exton/Downingtown. 

Kozicki was one of four Golden Rams in double figures in the victory, scoring her 20 points on 6-of-15 shooting, while Leah Johnson (Columbus, N.J./Notre Dame) finished with 18 points and nine rebounds to go along with 16 by Anna McTamney (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) and 12 from newcomer Jayde Boyd (Pittsburgh, Pa./Oakland Catholic).

Trailing by seven at the end of the first quarter, West Chester turned in a strong effort in the second quarter, outscoring Elizabeth City State 22-6, including a 9-0 run to open the frame, carrying a 35-26 lead into the halftime break.

Anna McTamney (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) led all scorers in the first half, heading to the break with 13 points to her name, including the lone made three of the first half for the Golden Rams. Michelle Kozicki (Wilmington, Del./Padua) also finished the first half in double figures, scoring 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 effort at the line. Kozicki also led WCU in rebounding in the first half, coming away with seven rebounds, while Leah Johnson (Columbus, N.J./Notre Dame) led the way in assists with seven.

West Chester was a perfect 10-for-10 at the line in the first half and shot 7-of-16 (43.8 %) from the floor, despite going just 1-of-7 (14.3 %) from beyond the arc in the first half of basketball.
Elizabeth City State opened the second half on a 12-6 run, including a pair of makes from the beyond the arc, which prompted a WCU timeout with 7:11 to play in the third quarter. The third quarter continued to be an excellent battle between the 13^th-ranked Golden Rams and receiving-vote Vikings but it was the host Golden Rams who carried a slim 55-52 advantage into the fourth and final quarter of play.

The fourth quarter continued to be a back-and-forth affair as ECSU pulled ahead midway through the fourth, taking a 60-59 lead following a made three by Alanis Hill but West Chester countered quickly with a driving layup by Johnson to take a 61-60 lead over the Vikings. West Chester would not trail again on Saturday night, eventually stretching its lead back out to 11 with under a minute to play in regulation, before winning by a 77-69 final over the visiting Vikings. Johnson took over down the stretch, scoring six of the Golden Rams final 10 points and assisting on a late layup by Kozicki to help the Golden Rams open the 2023-24 season with a victory.

West Chester ended the game shooting 45.6 % (26-of-57) from the field and 2-of-12 (16.7 %) from beyond the arc, while also shooting 79.3 % (23-of-29) from the line in the season-opening triumph.
Hill led ECSU in scoring, finishing with 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including a 3-for-5 effort from deep, while NyAsia Blango finished with 15 of her own in the setback.

As a team, the Vikings shot 34.9 % (22-of-63) from the floor and 28.6 % (8-of-28) from three-point range, while also shooting 77.3 % (17-of-22) from the line. West Chester ended the night with a 42-35 lead in rebounding and a slim 11-12 advantage in the turnovers battle.

The battle in the paint was a difference maker for West Chester on Saturday night as the Golden Rams overcame their poor three-point shooting effort with a 44-18 advantage in points in the paint along with a 16-10 lead in points off the break. Despite being outrebounded by seven, Elizabeth City State did manage to end the game with a 16-5 lead in second chance points.

Up Next:

West Chester returns to action tomorrow afternoon against Livingstone to begin day two of the Eckman beginning at 1 p.m.