WEST CHESTER, Pa.- Winners of seven in a row after a late-game comeback victory at Jefferson on Tuesday night, the West Chester University men's basketball team (7-1, 1-0) returns home this weekend for two important PSAC Crossover battles against No. 15 and PSAC West Preseason favorite Gannon (9-1, 2-0) and Clarion (5-5, 0-2). Both games are set for 3 p.m. tips in Hollinger Field House on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, respectively.
West Chester vs #15 Gannon
Game Details: Saturday, December 20 I 3 P.M.
Location: Hollinger Field House (West Chester, Pa.)
Series: 8-3
Coverage Links: Live Stats I Watch I Tickets
WCU Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Gannon Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
West Chester vs Clarion
Game Details: Sunday, December 21 I 3 P.M.
Location: Hollinger Field House (West Chester, Pa.)
Series: 12-9
Coverage Links: Live Stats I Watch I Tickets
CLARION Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Fan Information
Similar to West Chester football games, West Chester basketball games will be cashless events this season. Ticket prices remain the same at $10 for general admission adult tickets and $5 for students (K-12) and seniors (+65), with WCU students with a current, valid ID admitted free of charge. Fans are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets online prior to arriving at Hollinger via this
link. Fans are also reminded that WCUPATIX.com is the only authorized online ticket seller for WCU Athletics regular-season events.
Last Time Out
West Chester ran its winning streak to seven in a row and erased a double-digit second-half deficit for the second time in two games with an 83-79 victory over Jefferson on Tuesday night. West Chester trailed by as many as 21 in the first half and 20 early in the second half on Tuesday before closing the game on a 20-4 run led by 11 points from
Jaysean Williams to escape North Philly with an 83-79 victory. Williams scored a career-high 25 points off the bench on 9-of-14 shooting from the field, including an impressive 5-of-6 from three-point land to help the Golden Rams improve to7-1.
Dylan Blair and
Ruben Rodriguez Jr. joined Williams in double figures with 15 and 13 points, respectively. WCU shot 37.3 % (28-of-75) from the field and 40.0 % (10-of-25) from deep in the win.
Flock Talk
Ranked 18th in Division II in scoring margin (+18.8), West Chester enters play averaging 90.0 points per game on 48.4% shooting from the field, including a 34.0% effort from beyond the arc. The Golden Rams' opponents average just 71.3 points per game on 43.1% shooting from the field, including 29.6% from three-point range. West Chester is once again one of the top rebounding teams in Division II, averaging 43.5 rebounds per game and limiting opponents to 31.6, ranking the team seventh in rebounding margin at +11.9. West Chester is fifth in offensive rebounds per game, averaging 17.6, which has helped the Golden Rams hold a 145-84 lead in second-chance points so far this season.
Ruben Rodriguez Jr. is first on the team in scoring, averaging 15.3 points per game, while ranking second in rebounding (4.9/g) and assists (4.3/g).
Anthony McCall, who is second in scoring, averaging 13.5 points per game, is first on rebounding, averaging 5.8 per game.
Dylan Blair leads the Golden Rams in assists, averaging 4.8 per game.
Happening at Halftime
At halftime of Saturday's game against Gannon, West Chester will be joined by PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray to honor the Golden Rams PSAC 75 honorees in celebration of the PSAC's 75th Anniversary Season. Categories include 75 Greatest Male & Female Athletes, 75 Keystones of the PSAC, and 75 Made in the PSAC.
Sharp Shooters
West Chester is 4-0 when shooting north of 50 % from the field and has shot north of 55 % from the field in three of its last four games. In fact, West Chester has shot below 43% just twice this season (the season-opening loss to Fayetteville State/Tuesday at Jefferson). WCU 51st in D2 in FG % at 48.4 %.
Superlative Central
West Chester is outscoring opponents in the paint (370-238), in second-chance points (145-84), and in points off turnovers (204-137) through the first eight games of the season.
Home Sweet Hollinger
The Golden Rams have been one of the best teams in the Nation at home in recent years, going 64-15 (.810) at home since 2019-20, including an unbeaten regular season last winter. West Chester has not lost a regular-season home game since February 3, 2024, when the team fell to Lock Haven by a 78-77 final.
West Chester has been impressive at home this season, outscoring opponents by 142 points, including a 69-point win over Immaculata on Thanksgiving Eve and a 43-point win over Lincoln to open December.
Cardiac Kids
West Chester is 3-0 this season when trailing at the half, including a second-half comeback on Tuesday night, which saw the Golden Rams erase a 20-point deficit for an 83-79 victory. West Chester also trailed by as many as 11 (eight at the half) against Pitt-Johnstown on December 6 and seven (two at the half) against Bowie State.
Series History
West Chester holds an 8-3 lead in the all-time series against Gannon as the two teams meet for the first time since December 2023 on Saturday afternoon in Hollinger. West Chester fell to Gannon in Erie, 114-94, ending a four-game winning streak for WCU, which included an 82-74 win in Hollinger in December 2022. West Chester has never lost to Gannon in Hollinger, dating back to Gannon's first visit in December 2011.
West Chester holds a 12-9 lead in the all-time series over Clarion with wins in each of the last eight meetings, including a 90-70 win in Hollinger in December 2023.
Scouting #15 Gannon
Winners of five in a row, Gannon enters play on Saturday following a 106-48 drubbing of Kutztown in Crossover play in Erie on Tuesday night. Against the Golden Bears, Gannon raced out to a 46-21 lead at the half and outscored its guests 60-27 in the second half to cruise to the 58-point victory. Pace Prosser led Gannon in scoring with 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting from the field, along with eight assists and five rebounds, while Layne Sarver, Lucas Sekasi, and Mason Kempf added 10, 11, and 10, respectively. Gannon shot 42.4 % (39-of-92) from the field, including an 11-for-45 (24.4 %) effort from beyond the arc, but grabbed 24 offensive rebounds to dominate the Golden Bears.
For the season, Gannon enters play averaging 97.9 points per game on 43.8 % shooting from the field and 30.4 % from beyond the arc, while also shooting 71.7 % at the free throw line.
Prosser leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.1 points per game, while Morgan is second, averaging 15.6 per game. Sekasi leads the team in rebounding, averaging 5.8 per game, while ranking second in assists with 4.6 per game, trailing only Prosser and his 4.7 per game.
Scouting Clarion
Clarion enters play 5-5 overall and 1-2 in league play after falling to East Stroudsburg at home on Tuesday by an 86-61 final. Led by 15 points from Ethan Millirons, ESU jumped out to an early 13-point lead at the half and never looked back en route to an 86-61 victory. The Warriors shot north of 50.0 % from the field in both halves, shooting 55.2 % (32-of-58) for the game, including a 13-of-21 (61.9 %) effort from beyond the arc. Trey Nelson did all he could for Clarion, scoring 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including five makes from three-point range, along with six rebounds and four assists, but it was not enough to lead the Golden Eagles to victory. Clarion shot just 33.3 % (22-of-66) from the field, including a 9-for-31 (29.0 %) effort from beyond the arc, while also going 8-for-19 (42.1 %) from the line.
As a team, Clarion enters the weekend, which will begin with a visit to Kutztown on Saturday, averaging 83.7 points per game on 46.2 % shooting from the field and 34.7 % from three-point territory, while its opponents average 81.5 points per game on 45.8 % shooting from the field, including a 32.2 % effort from beyond the arc.
Gavin Cote leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.7 points per game, while Kendon Peebles is second, averaging 13.9 per game. Justice Easter is first on the team in rebounding, averaging 5.3 per game, while Trey Nelson leads in assists, averaging 6.6 per game.
Up Next
West Chester will not play again until a January 2 visit to Indiana (Pa.) for the first of a two-game road trip, which will also include a visit to Seton Hill on January 3 before opening East play against Mansfield on January 7 at 3 p.m.
