WEST CHESTER, Pa.- Macie McCracken (North Wildwood, N.J./Wildwood) scored a career-high 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field, including six makes from three-point range to help lead the West Chester University women's basketball team (6-3, 2-1) to an 80-73 victory over Clarion (6-4, 1-3) on Sunday afternoon in Hollinger.
McCracken was joined in double figures by
Marianna Papazoglou (North Wildwood, N.J/Wildwood Catholic), who scored a new career high of her own with 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field and a 4-for-8 effort from beyond the arc.
Erin Daley (Lafayette Hill, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with nine rebounds and nine points on 4-of-7 shooting as the Golden Rams erased an early deficit to earn the win.
West Chester trailed by 10 midway through the first quarter but used a 10-0 run to trail by just two heading into the second and never trailed again in the seven-point victory. West Chester led by as many as 22 with under nine minutes to play before a late Golden Eagle run made things tight down the stretch.
Clarion used a 14-0 run to jump out to a 10-point lead midway through the first quarter before West Chester responded with a 10-0 run of its own led by eight points from McCracken to even the score. Lia Krarup hit an off-balance runner as time expired to give Clarion a 19-17 lead heading into the second.
West Chester erased the two-point first quarter deficit with a quick three by McCracken to open the second quarter and held a 30-23 lead with 4:52 to play at the under-five media timeout. West Chester continued to lead throughout the second, outscoring its guests 23-12 in the period on 6-of-13 (46.2 %) from the field and a 9-for-13 (69.2 %) effort at the line to take a 40-31 lead into the halftime break.
After scoring a career-high 18 in the loss against Gannon on Saturday, McCracken appeared well on her way to another career-high on Sunday, scoring 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field, including a 4-for-5 effort from beyond the arc to help West Chester carry a nine-point lead into the break.
Arianna Seitz led Clarion in scoring with eight points as the Golden Eagles shot just 32.3 % (10-of-31) from the field, including a 4-for-15 (26.7 %) effort from three-point range, while also 7-for-9 (77.8 %) from the line.
West Chester shot 44.8 % (13-of-29) from the field in the first half, including a 5-of-12 (41.7 %) effort from three-point range, while also going 9-for-13(69.2 %) from the line.
West Chester outscored Clarion 21-13 in the third quarter as the lead grew from nine to 17 heading into the fourth and final quarter of play. West Chester was on point from distance in the third, going 3-for-4 from beyond the arc to further extend its lead.
West Chester stretched its lead to as many as 22 early in the fourth quarter before the Golden Eagles went on a run, which eventually allowed the visitors to outscore the Golden Rams 29-19, which cut the deficit to as few as five with under a minute to play. West Chester closed the game out at the free-throw line to escape with an 80-73 victory over the upset-minded Golden Eagles.
West Chester shot 43.9 % (29-of-66) from the field, including a 44.0 % (11-of-25) from three-point range, while also going 11-for-17 (64.7 %) at the free throw line.
Clarion shot just 38.7 % (24-of-62) from the field and 28.6 % (8-of-28) from three-point range, while going 17-for-21 (81.0 %) at the line.
Niah Smedley led Clarion in scoring with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, along with four makes at the charity stripe.
West Chester ended the game with a 41-40 rebounding advantage, including a 10-9 lead on the offensive glass, which resulted in a 15-10 lead in second-chance points and a 34-28 lead in points in the paint.
West Chester also won the turnover battle (19-15) and finished the game with a 26-17 lead in points off turnovers, along with a 48-20 lead in points off the bench, as both of its leading scorers came off the bench on Sunday afternoon.
Up Next
West Chester will be back in action in 2026 with a trip West to take on Indiana (Pa.) and Seton Hill on January 2 and 3. West Chester will not return to Hollinger Field House until a January 10 clash with Shippensburg on Alumni Day, beginning at 2 p.m.
