SCHEDULE
ROSTER
NEWS
WEST CHESTER, Pa.- Following their first PSAC East Regular Season crown since 2006, head coach
Damien Blair and the West Chester University men's basketball team are putting the finishing touches on preparations for the beginning of the 2023-24 season on Friday night in Virginia against St. Augustine's University.
West Chester will open its season as it has the last four seasons, participating in the CIAA/PSAC Challenge, this time being played on the campus of Virginia State University, featuring matchups against St. Augustine's and host Virginia State to kick off the 2023-24 season.
PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATIONS
West Chester found itself on the receiving end of some early season respect in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Coaches poll, being selected second in the Eastern Division with three first-place votes.
LOOKING BACK
West Chester enters the 2023-24 season following a banner year in 2022-23, which saw the Purple and Gold finish the campaign with a share of the Eastern Division Title, marking the first time since the 2006 season that the Golden Rams earned at least a share of the regular-season title. The Golden Rams finished their year with a record of 16-6 in league play and 21-8 overall, ending the season with a quarterfinal setback against East Stroudsburg. In addition to earning its first share of the PSAC Eastern Division crown since 2006, West Chester also ended the year with its fourth 20-win season in the last five years, with the lone exception being the 2016-17 season.
Statistically, the Golden Rams ended the year third in the PSAC and second in the Eastern Division (trailing only preseason favorite East Stroudsburg) in scoring, averaging 78.9 points per game, while once again showing themselves as one of the top rebounding units in all of Division II men's basketball. The Golden Rams led the PSAC in all rebounding categories, including rebounds per game (41.4/g), offensive rebounds per game (14.0/g), defensive rebounds per game (27.4/g), and rebounding margin (+5.0). Head coach
Damien Blair's charges also ranked seventh in Division II in rebounding and ninth in DII in offensive rebounds per game.
FLOCK TALK
West Chester returns over 60 % of its scoring from a year ago, with over 1,400 points returning to the court for the Golden Rams in the 2023-24 campaign. This is thanks in large part to the team returning three of five starters from a year ago, all of whom averaged in double figures, led by back-to-back Second Team All-Conference selection
Robert Smith (Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt), who averaged 15.5 points per game a year ago, up from his 14.2 points per game average as a rookie.
Elijah Allen (Dover, Del./Dover) also played well a year ago, averaging 12.4 points per game, which, along with 10.1 per game from Radford transfer
Joshua Walker (Upper Marlboro, Md./Riverdale Baptist), gave the Golden Rams a dangerous starting five.
West Chester also returns a few veterans in
Anthony Purnell Jr. (Chester, Pa./Kiski), Moro Osumanu (Reading, Pa./Reading), Isaiah Thomas-McClain (Cheltenham, Pa./Cheltenham), Luke Boyd (Somerton, Pa./Archbishop Ryan), Nix Varano (Chalfont, Pa./La Salle College HS), Tristan Thomas (Medford, N.J./IMG Academy), and the third of the Golden Rams three captains Alex Walinski (New Hope, Pa./New Hope Solebury). Purnell Jr. enjoyed a strong freshman season, averaging 5.7 points per game, including a breakout 23-point effort on February 6 at Shippensburg, which saw him connect on 9-of-15 attempts from the floor to lead the Golden Rams. Osumau is another of the Golden Rams returning cast to have seen significant playing time a year ago, appearing in 28 games with 15 starts, averaging 17.1 minutes per game, 4.4 rebounds and 3.7 points per game. McClain, Boyd, Thomas, and Walinski also saw time for West Chester a year ago, concluding the season, averaging 1.8, 1.3, 0.8, and 0.7 points per game, respectively.
In addition to the talented returners, West Chester also welcomes in a strong group of newcomers, including a pair of transfers in
Mekhi Reynolds (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) from Clarion and
Jordan Kellier (Kingston, Jamaica/Redemption Christian) from Siena.
To go along with the addition of Reynolds and Kellier, Blair and the Golden Rams also welcome
Myles Grey (Reading, Pa./Reading), Saleem Payne (Philadelphia, Pa./The Phelps School), Darrius Phillips (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Seton Hall Prep), and
Mirko Bramati (Bologna, Italy/St. Thomas More) who embark on their first seasons in collegiate basketball as members of the Golden Rams.
THE SLATE
West Chester opens its schedule on the road with a visit to the 2018 NCAA Atlantic Regional Tournament, Virginia State University site before returning home on November 15 to host Fairmont State in an important regional clash in Hollinger. After this brief stop at home, West Chester will be on the road for the remainder of the month of November, visiting Wilmington (Del.) on November 19 before visiting Chestnut Hill on Wednesday, November 22, in the final game before the Thanksgiving Holiday.
After Thanksgiving, West Chester returns to action on December 1, and 2 to open PSAC play with crossover matchups against Slippery Rock on Friday (5:00 p.m.) and Edinboro on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. West Chester will remain home on December 9 to face Goldey-Beacom beginning at 1 p.m. before visiting with Mercyhurst and Gannon on December 18 and 19. The Golden Rams conclude the 2023 half of their season on December 30 with a matchup against Clarion in Hollinger before heading to California (Pa.) to open the 2024 half of the season on January 3.
West Chester jumps into PSAC East play on January 6 at Lock Haven before returning to Hollinger to host Shepherd and East Stroudsburg on January 10 and 13. West Chester will return to the road for matchups against Kutztown and Shippensburg on January 17 and 24 before hosting Mansfield on January 27 on what will also be Alumni Day for the Golden Rams, with tip set for 4 p.m. on the final Saturday of January. West Chester remains home on Monday, January 29, to host Millersville before concluding the month with a visit to Bloomsburg on Wednesday, the 31
st.
The Golden Rams return on home on February 3 to host Lock Haven before heading back out on the road for return trips to Shepherd and East Stroudsburg on February 7 and 10. The Golden Rams welcome the Golden Bears of Kutztown to Hollinger on February 14, followed by the Raiders of Shippensburg University on February 21 in the final home game of the month of February for the Purple and Gold. Coach Blair's charges will conclude the month with visits to Mansfield on the 24
th and Millersville on the 28
th, ending the regular season with a matchup against Bloomsburg in Hollinger on March 2.
FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RAMS!
Tickets will be sold at the door and remain the same as a year ago, with prices set at $20 for single-game century club tickets, $10 for adults, and $5 for children/seniors.
Check out the first
basketball edition of Inside the Huddle of the year for more of our conversation with Coach Blair along with a sit down with
Robert Smith, and
Myles Grey. As always, fans are encouraged to visit wcupagoldenrams.com and follow West Chester Athletics on social media for all the latest news and notes on the Golden Rams varsity athletic programs.
