West Chester at Bloomsburg
Game Details: Saturday, February 22 I 1 P.M.
Location: Nelson Field House (Bloomsburg, Pa.)
Coverage Links: Live Stats I Video
Series: 44-46 (4-1 in last five)
WCU Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Bloomsburg Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Last Time Out
West Chester continued its hot run through February on Wednesday night with a 64-62 victory over East Stroudsburg. Close throughout the evening, West Chester led by as many as 10 early in the second quarter but needed late-game heroics to hold off the upset-minded Warriors and escape with a 64-62 victory. East Stroudsburg erased a nine-point first-quarter deficit and tied the game up at 62-62 in the waning seconds of regulation. With a shot to win it and time running out, ESU saw its shot go off the mark, and Anna McTamney grabbed the rebound before being fouled with .03 to play. With mere tenths of a second remaining on the clock, McTamney scored her 14th and 15th points of the night at the free throw line to ice a 64-62 victory over East Stroudsburg.In a battle between the top two forwards in the PSAC East and perhaps two of the best in the PSAC, Michelle Kozicki and Emily Chmiel both registered double-doubles as Kozicki finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Chmiel had a hard-charging 14 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. West Chester shot 39.3 % (24-of-61) from the field while going 5-of-12 (41.7 %) from three-point range and 11-for-12 (91.7 %) at the free throw line.
The Playoff Picture
Despite its five-game winning streak, West Chester remains fourth in the PSAC East standings by virtue of a loss at Millersville earlier this season. WCU and Millersville are both two games back of Kutztown and Lock Haven who are first and second entering the final three games of the season.
Double Double Machine
Kozicki ranks second in the PSAC in scoring, averaging 21.1 points per game, while her 10.5 rebounds per game are fifth best in the league. The senior forward has 16 double-doubles to her name, including eight in nine games, which ranks her in a tie for third in D2 in double-doubles while also ranking second in the PSAC. Emily Chmiel of ESU leads the PSAC and D2 in double-doubles with 20.
McTamney Making it Happen
Anna McTamney has scored in double figures in 21 of 25 games this season, including each of the last four and nine of 10, leading the team in scoring with 18 in a win over Mansfield on February 8. The senior guard scored 15 points on Wednesday night, none bigger than her two free throws with .03 to play, which helped West Chester escape with a 64-62 upset victory over ESU. Now averaging 15.6 points per game, McTamney is eighth in the league in scoring as West Chester remains the lone PSAC East team and one of just two teams (IUP being the lone other) to have two players in the top-10 in the league in scoring.
Rare Air
Kozicki has also scored 35 points twice since December 17, becoming the first player to score 35 or more twice in the same season since Leah Johnson, who, along with Mitzi Reitnouer, are the only two Golden Rams to accomplish this feat.
Erin’s Emergence
Erin Daley has turned in an excellent stretch of basketball for West Chester since a career-high 19 points vs Kutztown on 1/11, Daley has scored in double figures six times in eight games, including an 18-point effort in the win at Lock Haven on February 1 and an 11-point/12-rebound double-double at Shippensburg on February 12. The sophomore forward is now averaging 8.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game heading into the final weeks of the 2024-25 regular season.
The Painters
West Chester has outscored its opponents in the paint in 20 of 25 games this season, including a 48-14 lead vs Wilmington. WCU has outscored opponents 764 (30.6/g)-448 (17.9/g) in the paint this season.
Heating Up
West Chester started 2025 4-2 and despite a three-game skid, enters play on Saturday with a record of 9-4 on the New Year after winning each of last five to open February. West Chester has not lost since a three-game skid at the end of January, which included a costly 69-61 loss at Millersville.
We Love Free Stuff
West Chester is tied for fifth in DII in free throw percentage, shooting 79.7 % at the line this season. WCU has hit over 70.0 % in 20 of 25 games and 80.0 % or better in 13 of 20, including a perfect 5-for-5 effort at SHIP on 2/12 and a 91.7 % effort vs ESU.
Second Quarter Woes
West Chester has struggled mightily in the second quarter this season, being outscored 431-354 while outscoring its foes by 48 (1,266-1,184) in the other three quarters combined, including a 467-430 lead in the fourth quarter of games and an 869-793 lead in the second half.
Series History
West Chester is 44-46 all-time vs Bloomsburg after dropping the first game of the season series earlier this year to halt a four-game winning streak in the series. West Cheser fell to Bloomsburg by a 70-61 final in Hollinger earlier this year, despite a valiant second-half comeback, which saw the team cut a 13-point deficit down to just two midway through the fourth, but it was not enough in a 70-61 setback.
Scouting Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg enters play on Saturday in the midst of a two-game losing streak after being edged by Kutztown (52-51) and falling at Millersville by a 68-51 final on Wednesday night. On Wednesday at Millersville, Bloomsburg found itself down eight after the first and cut the deficit to four at the half but could not complete the comeback in the second half in the 17-point setback. Katie Starr led the Huskies in scoring with 13 points and six rebounds along with two steals as the lone Husky in double figures. Bloomsburg shot just 38.2 % (21-of-55) from the field, including a 30.8 % (4-of-13) effort from deep, while also going 5-for-10 at the line. Millersville shot an even 50.0 % (30-of-60) from the field, including two makes from three-point range, while also going 6-for-8 at the line as Makiah Shaw led all scorers and three Marauders in double figures with 18 points.
As a team, Bloomsburg enters play averaging 64.2 points per game on 42.1 % shooting from the field and 30.6 % from three-point range, while also holding a 17.2-16.7 lead in turnovers. The Huskies opponents average 58.8 points per game on 38.5 % shooting from the field and 24.2 % from deep, while also holding a slim 35.5-34.8 lead in rebounding. Katie Starr leads the team in scoring, rebounding, and steals, averaging 15.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game. Ella Kale is second on the team in scoring, averaging 9.6 points per game, while also leading in assists per game, averaging 4.7 as one of the top facilitators in the PSAC.
