WEST CHESTER, Pa.- Riding a six-game winning streak after an opening night loss to Fayetteville State at Bowie State, the West Chester University men's basketball team (6-1) will look to finish non-league play with a victory at Jefferson (6-4) on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
West Chester at Jefferson
Game Details: December 16 I 6 P.M.
Location: Gallagher Center
Coverage Links: Live Stats I
Video
Series: 14-14
WCU Links: NEWS I
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SCHEDULE I
STATS
Jefferson Links: NEWS I
ROSTER I
SCHEDULE I
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Last Time Out
West Chester ran its winning streak to six in a row with an 81-72 comeback victory over Pitt-Johnstown on Saturday afternoon in Hollinger Field House. West Chester found itself down eight at the half and trailed by 11 early in the second half before using a 16-0 run to erase the deficit and never trail again in the nine-point victory. West Chester outscored its guests 46-29 in the second half, including a 15-of-24 (62.5 %) from the field, including a 5-for-7 (71.4 %) effort from three-point range to earn the crossover victory.
Ruben Rodriguez Jr. (Reading, Pa./Reading) led all scorers with 26 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field and a 12-for-14 effort from the free throw line as one of three Golden Rams in double figures in the victory.
Luke Boyd (Somerton, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) made his mark down the stretch as the senior captain drilled three three-pointers in quick succession to help West Chester stretch its lead to as many as nine in the waning moments.
Flock Talk
One of the top-20 offenses in Division II men's basketball, the West Chester men's basketball team enters Tuesday averaging 91.0 points per game on 50.2 % shooting from the field, including a 32.8 % effort from beyond the arc, while also shooting 67.8 % from the free throw line. The Golden Rams also hold a 42.7-30.3 (+12/4) rebounding advantage and a 20.3-16.1 turnover advantage, averaging 25.4 points per game off turnovers through the first month of the season. West Chester's opponents average just 70.1 points per game on 43.7 % shooting from the field and 30.0 % from beyond the arc, while also shooting 64.0 % from the charity stripe.
Individually, Rodriguez Jr. leads West Chester in scoring, averaging 15.6 points per game, while
Anthony McCall (Philadelphia, Pa./ANC) and
Gabe Moss (Pottstown, Pa./The Hill School) are second and third, averaging 14.3 and 12.9 points, respectively. McCall also leads the team in rebounding, averaging 6.1 rebounds per game, while
Dylan Blair (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) leads the team in assists, averaging 4.7 per game. Blair and Rodriguez Jr. are also tied with
Larenzo Jerkins (Chester, Pa./Neumann Goretti) for the team lead in steals with 10 each.
Power Surge
Thanks in part to a 121-point margin of victory over its three-game homestand, which wrapped up with an 81-72 win over Pitt-Johnstown on December 6, West Chester is outscoring opponents by a +20.9 margin on the season, which is sixth-best in Division II men's basketball. West Chester is averaging 91.0 points per game, which is 19
th best in the nation, led by a 50.2 % effort from the field, which is 16
th-best in Division II.
Superlative Central
West Chester is outscoring opponents in the paint (342-208), in second-chance points (125-72), and in points off turnovers (178-116) through the first six games of the season. The Golden Rams are also ninth in Division II in offensive rebounds per game, averaging 16.6, sixth in rebounding margin (+12.4), 20th in rebounding (42.7), and eighth in turnovers forced (20.3).
Last of Its Kind
Tuesday is West Chester's last non-league game of the year as the Golden Rams look to return to league action this weekend at 7-1 overall with a 6-1 non-league record.
Series History
The all-time series between the Golden Rams and Rams dates back to 1963, when it began with a 72-60 Jefferson victory over West Chester. This series-opening victory was the lone meeting between the two teams until last season, when legendary head coach Herb Magee was not at the helm of the Rams. West Chester now enters play with a record of 14-14 all-time against the Rams after the Golden Rams halted previously unbeaten Jefferson by a 78-70 final, led by a career-high 21 points on 6-of-9 shooting from
Dylan Blair.
Scouting Jefferson
Jefferson (6-4) enters play riding a two-game winning streak and is 5-2 at home on the year after an 87-74 win over Post on Saturday, after dropping its second home game of the month to Bridgeport on December 6 by a 72-67 final. Matt McCool led Jefferson in scoring in the victory with 21 points and eight rebounds as one of five Rams in double figures. Sean Fullerton added 15, along with 13 from Brendan Mykalcio, 12 from Jahmare Memphis, and 10 from Jeremiah Dorsey. Jefferson jumped out to a 47-32 lead at the half on 67.9 % (19-of-28) shooting from the field, including a 4-for-7 (57.1 %) effort from three-point range, before shooting 44.1 % (15-of-34) in the second half, including four more makes from three-point territory to shoot 54.8 % (34-of-62) from the field in the victory.
As a team, Jefferson is averaging 77.8 points per game on 47.7 % shooting from the field, including a 33.3 % effort from beyond the arc, while also connecting on 71.1 % of its chances from the free throw line. Jefferson's opponents are averaging 73 points per game on 42.5 % shooting from the field, including a 31.7 % effort from the stripe, while also connecting on 70.7 % at the free throw line. Jefferson holds a slim 35.8-34.4 lead in rebounding and a 14.5-14.2 lead in turnovers as the Rams average 8.2 steals per game compared to just 6.7 from their opponents.
Individually, Dorsey is first on the team in scoring, averaging 16.3 points per game, while Alex Bates IV is second, averaging 14.1 points per game. McCool leads the team in rebounding, averaging 7.3 rebounds per game, while Dorsey is first in assists, averaging 3.7 assists per game. Dorsey also leads the team in steals, averaging 3.0 per game.
Up Next
West Chester will return home this weekend to face Gannon and Clarion on Saturday and Sunday, with both games starting at 3 p.m.
