West Chester vs Seton Hill
Game Details: December 21, 2024 I 1 P.M.
Location: Hollinger Field House (West Chester, Pa.)
Coverage Links: Live Stats I Video
Series: 3-3
WCU Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
SHU Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Last Time Out
West Chester (4-7, 1-3) got back in the win column on Tuesday afternoon with an exciting 71-64 OT victory over Pitt-Johnstown, which marked the Golden Rams second OT victory of the month after opening December with a 79-73 OT win over Jefferson. West Chester led 33-28 at the half but needed a late-game comeback after shooting just 9 % and being outscored 16-6 in the third quarter to trail by five heading into the fourth. Trailing by three late, Kozicki rattled home a three from the top of the key, which forced OT, and West Chester outscored its hosts 9-2 in the extra session, led by six more points from Kozicki to claim the 71-64 road victory. Kozicki led West Chester in scoring with a career-high 35 points. Kozicki’s 35 points are the most in a single game since Leah Johnson set the single-game scoring record with a 44-point effort against California in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. West Chester shot 46.0 % (23-of-50) from the field, including a 9-for-14 (64.2 %) effort from the field in the final 15 minutes, despite shooting just 16.7 % (2-of-12) from three-point range. One of the top free-throw shooting teams in Division II, West Chester hit 82.1 % (23-of-28) at the line, including a 13-for-17 (76.4 %) effort in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Flock Talk
One of the top free-throw shooting teams in Division II, West Chester hit 82.1 % (23-of-28) at the line, including a 13-for-17 (76.4 %) effort in the fourth quarter and overtime on Tuesday at Pitt-Johnstown. West Chester Kozicki is now third in the PSAC in scoring, averaging 20.0 points per game as she closes in on her 1,000th career point at WCU after notching her 1,000th collegiate point on Sunday at Chestnut Hill. Averaging 65.4 points per game on 38.7 % shooting from the field and 25.6 % from beyond the arc, Kozicki and McTamney have been crucial to the Golden Ram offense this season, averaging 20.0 and 14.9 points per game, respectively. Kozicki also leads the team and ranks fourth in the PSAC in rebounding, averaging 10.1 rebounds per game after corralling 12 more rebounds in the victory on Tuesday afternoon. Bella Mazur has had a strong start to her collegiate career, ranking third on the team in scoring, averaging 8.2 points per game. The rookie guard has scored in double figures four times, including 15 on Tuesday and three times in the first four home games. As a team, West Chester also ranks fourth in free-throw percentage, knocking down 81.3 % of its shots at the line, which is also the best in the Atlantic Region.
Happening Pregame
Saturday’s game is Parent’s Day for West Chester, as the Golden Rams will pause to recognize and thank their families for their support and dedication to Golden Ram basketball.
Following this brief ceremony, West Chester will also present Michelle Kozicki with a commemorative ball in honor of her 1000th collegiate point, which she scored in the loss at Chestnut Hill on Sunday.
Good to be Home
West Chester saw its home winning streak end at what was a D2-best 27 games vs IUP on 12/7, suffering its first loss in Hollinger since January 2023. Despite this setback, WCU is 38-10 at home since November 2021 (32-3 since 2022).
Not Since 2016
West Chester picked up its second OT win of the season on Tuesday, which marks the first time since 2015-16 that WCU has won two OT games in the same season. (1/23/16 Def. LHU; 2/10/16 Def. ESU). WCU played in OT twice in 2019-20 and has not played in OT more than twice since 2015-16 when the team went 2-1 in the extra period.
Working in the Paint
West Chester has outscored its opponents in the paint in seven of 11 games this season, including a 48-14 lead vs Wilmington. WCU has outscored opponents 276 (34.5/g)-154 (19.2/g) in the paint this season.
Ooh, Free Stuff!
West Chester is fourth in DII in free throw percentage, shooting 81.3 % at the line this season. WCU has hit over 70.0 % in 10 of 11 games and 80.0 % or better in seven of 11, including a 91.7 % effort vs Edinboro.
Series History
West Chester is even at 3-3 all-time against Seton Hill, including a win in the first meeting in 2015 and another victory over the Griffins last time they visited Hollinger Field House in December 2022. The December 2022 meeting was also the last game of the year, as it was played on December 30 of that season and was the Griffin's first visit to West Chester since December 2017. The Golden Rams triumphed by a 90-72 final, earning their first victory over the Griffins since January 2016 when the team rang in the New Year with a 70-48 victory on January 3rd of that season.
Scouting Seton Hill
Ranked 12th in the Division II women’s basketball coaches poll and fifth in the media poll, Seton Hill (11-0, 5-0) remained unbeaten on Wednesday with a complete 79-69 victory over East Stroudsburg inside the Katherine Mabis McKenna Center at Seton Hill University. Led by 23 points from Christiane Frye, who averages a team-best 18.1 points per game on the year, Seton Hill used a big second quarter (17-8) to get much-needed separation from ESU in a game that saw the first, third, and fourth quarters separated by just one point. Seton Hill shot 47.3 % from the field and 47.8 % from beyond the arc in the victory, both of which are above its season averages of 46.6 % and 32.2 %, respectively. Mia Kalich leads the team in rebounding on the year, averaging 9.4 per game, which is fifth best in the PSAC, and she added to this on Wednesday, recording a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in the victory over East Stroudsburg.
