SHIPPENSBURG, Pa.- Following a thrilling win over Mansfield on Saturday afternoon to improve to 15-7 on the year and an impressive 12-4 in PSAC play, the West Chester women's basketball is less than 24 hours away from its next opponent in PSAC East leader Shippensburg (18-3, 13-2) on the road beginning at 6 p.m.
Series Info
West Chester enters play on Monday, maintaining a slim 35-31 lead in the all-time series vs Shippensburg. West Chester has lost four in a row, including an 83-70 setback at the hands of the Raiders earlier this season. Since that loss earlier this season, West Chester has not lost since, winning each of its last eight in a row, currently on its longest winning streak since the 2017-18 season.
When West Chester and Shippensburg met earlier this season, West Chester lost by an 83-70 final; however, the final score of the matchup does not paint an accurate depiction of the game, which was a high-level PSAC East clash between two teams near the top of the Eastern Division standings. Featuring 11 ties and eight lead changes, the game was close throughout, but West Chester carried a two-point lead into the halftime break and eventually stretched this lead to as many as eight early in the third quarter. The game remained close late into the fourth, with West Chester pulling back within a point after a three by
Alexa Abbonizio (Springfield, Pa./Springfield). Still, Shippensburg countered quickly and eventually closed the game out at the line to earn the 83-70 victory. West Chester had four players in double figures in the setback, led by a double-double from
Anna McTamney (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) as she finished with 20 and 10, while
Leah Johnson (Columbus, N.J./Notre Dame) finished with 18 in the setback.
Flock Talk
Looking to extend its winning streak to eight games in a row, the West Chester women's basketball team returned to action on Saturday afternoon at Mansfield. West Chester fell behind early, trailing 10-2 in the early stages before the Golden Rams surged back, holding a one-point lead at the end of the first quarter and never trailing again en route to a 74-71 victory over Mansfield.
Michelle Kozicki had a career day, finishing with 28 points and 15 rebounds in the victory.
Last week, Kozicki was clutch for the Golden Rams, registering a pair of double-doubles, including her career-best effort in the win on Saturday afternoon. Kozicki, who turned in a 16-point and 11-rebound effort in the win over Kutztown on Wednesday, ended the week averaging 22 points and 13 rebounds per game to help West Chester stretch its winning streak to eight games in a row, which remains the longest streak since the 2017-18 season. Kozicki has scored in double figures in five of the last eight games, including three of the last five, increasing her season-scoring average to 13.7 points per game, which remains fourth-best on the team in the process.
Getting out to an early lead and winning the rebounding battle have been two key factors for West Chester this season, as all 15 of the team's wins have come in games in which the team led at the half and won the rebounding battle, while the squad is 0-2 when trailing at the half and 0-4 when losing the rebounding battle entering the stretch run of the 2022-23 season.
Scouting Shippensburg
Shippensburg, enters play riding a winning streak of its own, a five-game streak to be exact, following a 76-67 victory over East Stroudsburg on the road on Saturday afternoon. Ariel Jones, who became Division II's Active-Career leader in free throws on Saturday afternoon, led the way as she usually does, finishing with 35 points, including a 6-for-8 effort at the line in the victory. Shippensburg got out to an early lead in this game, holding a seven-point advantage after the first quarter and a 10-point lead heading to the half, which proved important as the Raiders were able to hold off the ESU comeback attempt late in the second half for the road win. Shippensburg shot 43.3 % from the field in the win to go along with 33.3 % shooting from deep and a 63.3 % effort from the line to go along with a +14 (46-32) advantage on the glass and a plus-three (18-15) lead in the turnover battle.
For the year, Jones leads Shippensburg in a number of the major categories, including scoring (25.0/g), assists (2.8/g), and steals (2.5/g), while Lauren Pettis is second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.8 per game is first in rebounding, averaging 10.0 per game. As a team, Shippensburg is similar to West Chester in that the Raiders are very efficient at the free throw line, converting 72.3 % of their chances while also consistently winning the rebounding battle, averaging 42.5 per game, which is an average of 4.6 more than its opponent and just ahead of the Golden Rams 42.1 rebound per game average on the year. Shippensburg and West Chester also average just under 16 turnovers per game on the season, although Shippensburg has been somewhat more consistent in forcing turnovers this year, entering play with a +4.1 advantage in this category despite averaging just 8.0 steals per game.
Up Next:
West Chester returns to action on Wednesday night at home against East Stroudsburg for its third game in five days before a bye on Saturday will give West Chester a week to prepare for a road game at Shepherd on January 15
th.
