West Chester at Mansfield
Game Details: January 22 I 5:30 P.M.
Location: Marion Decker Gymnasium (Mansfield, Pa.)
Coverage Links: Live Stats I Video
Series: 68-11 (W5)
WCU Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Mansfield Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Last Time Out
West Chester improved to 3-0 in its last three and 5-5 in league play on Saturday afternoon with a 14-point (73-59) victory over Shippensburg in Hollinger Field House on Saturday afternoon. West Chester held a 31-22 lead at the end of the first quarter after shooting a blistering 78.6 % (11-of-14) from the field, including a 4-for-4 effort from three-point range and led by 15 midway through the second quarter at the end of a 14-0 run, which spanned the end of the first quarter into the second. Shippensburg countered with a 10-0 run before the half, which cut the deficit to eight (40-32), and continued to look for a comeback as the afternoon progressed. West Chester outscored Shippensburg 18-12 in the fourth, including 12 points at the free-throw line for one of the best free-throw shooting teams in DII women’s basketball. Michelle Kozicki (Wilmington, Del./Padua) scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Anna McTamney (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) and Bella Mazur (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) finished with 16 and 14, respectively. After shooting nearly 80.0 % in the first quarter, West Chester failed to shoot above 40.0 % in any of the next three quarters, ending the game shooting 44.2 % (23-of-52) from the field, including a 5-for-12 (41.7 %) effort from three-point range. West Chester was also 22-for-26 (84.6 %) at the line. The Golden Rams also won the turnover battle by a 21-12 margin, which led to a 22-6 lead in points off turnovers and a 32-22 lead in points in the paint.
Flock Talk
As a team, West Chester enters play averaging 67.7 points per game on 39.9 % shooting from the field, including a 27.2 % effort from three-point range, while also connecting on 81.5 % at the free throw line. Despite a team-best nine double-doubles from Kozicki, who continues to rank among the league leaders in scoring and rebounding, West Chester trails 38.1-37.8 in rebounding. The Golden Rams do hold a slim 17.9-17.3 lead in turnovers entering play on Wednesday night. West Chester’s opponents average 69.0 points per game on 39.4 % shooting from the field, including 31.5 % from long range.
Individually, Kozicki now ranks second in the PSAC in scoring, averaging 20.1 points per game, while her 10.1 rebounds per game are fifth best in the PSAC and third best in the PSAC East. McTamney is the second Golden Ram in the top-10 in the PSAC in scoring, making West Chester the lone PSAC program to have two players in the top 10 in the league, averaging 16.0 points per game, which is the eighth best in the league. Ava Mazur (Linwood, N.J./Mainland) and Bella rank first and second on the team in assists, averaging 3.6 and 2.4 per game, respectively. McTamney and fellow Plymouth Whitemarsh alum Erin Daley (Lafayette Hill, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) are tied for first on the team in steals with Kozicki, as all three average 1.8 per game.
Heating Up
Winners of each of its last three, four of five to open 2025, and five of the last seven dating back to an OT win over Pitt-Johnstown on December 17th, West Chester has clawed its way back to 8-9 on the year and 5-5 in league play. There is no denying it has looked different for West Chester at times this season after losing a large class to graduation a year ago, including a pair of First Team All-Conference performers in Leah Johnson and Emily McAteer. However, after starting the season with a 1-5 month of November, West Chester has won 8-of-12 since, including wins over Jefferson and Cal to open December. West Chester has been tested in most of its eight wins this season, winning five of its eight games by 10 points or less, including three overtime triumphs. West Chester has mixed in some dominant-looking wins, including a 90-54 drubbing of Wilmington and a 73-59 victory over Shippensburg on Saturday afternoon.
Working Overtime
West Chester’s OT win over East Stroudsburg was the Golden Rams third OT win in three such games already this season, marking the first time since 2015-16 that West Chester has played three overtime games in one year. The victory at ESU also marked the first time since 2009-10 that West Chester has won three OT games in one year and the first time since 2008-09 that West Chester has won each of its first three OT games of the season.
Bella Can Ball
Averaging 9.8 points per game, Mazur is enjoying an outstanding start to her collegiate career, ranking third on the team in scoring and already showing herself as one of the top first-year players in the PSAC. The rookie guard has scored in double figures nine times so far this season, including six of the last seven and seven times in eight home games.
Expanding the 1K Club
West Chester has now presented four 1,000-point balls this season, as Kozicki and McTamney have both been recognized twice. In the midst of their third seasons as Golden Rams, the duo both scored their 1000th collegiate points in 2024, which included points at their previous schools (Kozicki- La Salle & McTamney U Sciences), respectively. In 2025, Kozicki and McTamney added their names to the WCU record book with their 1000th career points as Golden Rams in wins over Shepherd and Kutztown, respectively.
Double Double Machine
Kozicki remains tied for eighth in Division II women’s basketball in double-doubles with eight on the season, including a double-double in each of the last two and five of the last seven.
We Love Free Stuff
West Chester is third in DII in free throw percentage, shooting 81.5 % at the line this season. WCU has hit over 70.0 % in 15 of 17 games and 80.0 % or better in 10 of 15, including a season-high 92.0 % effort vs Lock Haven.
Series History
West Chester enters play holding a 68-11 lead in the all-time series against Mansfield, including wins in each of the last five meetings. West Chester has not lost to Mansfield since a 70-66 setback at Mansfield in January 2022, which was the Golden Rams first loss to the Mounties since February 2010.
Scouting Mansfield
Entering play with an overall record of 7-10, including a mark of 3-8 in league action after dropping each of its last three, Mansfield will hope to conclude its three-game homestand with a victory on Wednesday night against West Chester. On Saturday afternoon, Mansfield played its third game of the week against PSAC East leader Lock Haven and fell to the Bald Eagles by a 65-43 final after shooting just 22.4 % (13-of-58) from the field. Mansfield never shot north of 30.0 % from the field in the loss, including a 16.6 % (2-of-12) effort in the third quarter. Lock Haven jumped out to a 19-11 lead after the first and stretched its advantage to 30-18 heading into the break en route to the 22-point victory. Katie Sheeler led Mansfield in scoring with 16 points on 4-of-14 shooting from the field, along with a 5-for-6 effort at the line, but also committed a team-high six turnovers in the setback.
For the year, Mansfield averages 62.7 points per game on 35.6 % shooting from the field, 28.7 % from three-point range, and 63.0 % from the free throw line. The Mounties enter play trailing 41.6-41.4 in rebounding while holding a slim 16.6-16.9 lead in the turnover battle. Sheeler leads the team in scoring this season, averaging 16.4 points per game, while Paris Anthony is second, averaging 8.9 points per game. Sarah Hortin leads the squad in rebounding, averaging 8.4 per game, while Kristen Fulford is first in assists, averaging 2.7 per game.
