West Chester at Kutztown
Game Details: March 1 I 3:00 P.M.
Location: Keystone Arena (Kutztown, Pa.)
Coverage Links: Live Stats I Video I Tickets
Series: 82-41 (W6)
WCU Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Kutztown Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Last Time Out
West Chester shot 47.1 % (16-for-34) from the field in the second half to erase a first-half decficit and pick up its 22nd win of the season, which is tied with the 2017-18 and 2018-19 teams for the second most wins under head coach Damien Blair. West Chester trailed for much of the first half and by as many as 14 in the second half but used a 26-7 run midway through the second half to earn a 75-70 victory. West Chester was 10-for-19 (52.6 %) from the field during this run, including a 2-for-5 effort from deep, while forcing turnovers including seven big steals to erase the early deficit. Elijah Allen (Dover, Del/Dover) led West Chester in scoring for the 13th time in 20 games, while Joshua Walker (Upper Marlboro, Md./Riverdale Baptist) scored 14 points, including 12 in the second half to help lead the comeback. West Chester ended the game shooting 37.3 % (25-of-67) from the field, including 25.0 % (-of-16) from three-point range, while also going 21-for-26 (80.8 %).
Flock Talk
As a team, West Chester enters play averaging 78.3 points per game on 42.3 % shooting from the field, including 32.2 % from three-point range, while also shooting 72.8 % at the free throw line. West Chester also holds a 42.3-34.4 lead in rebounding and a 16.1-14.3 lead in turnovers entering the regular-season finale.
Allen leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.7 points per game and has scored in double figures in 21 of 26 games. Allen has led the team in scoring in 13 of 21 games, including six of the last nine, helping West Chester to a record of 11-2 in such games. Davante Dennis (Baltimore, Md./Red Lion) is second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.9 points per game, while Joshua Walker (Upper Marlboro, Md./Riverdale Baptist) is third averaging 10.7 points per game. Walker is first on the team in rebounding, averaging 7.2 rebound per game, while Anthony McCall (Philadelphia, Pa./ANC) is second, averaging 5.1 rebounds per game. Dylan Blair (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) is first on the team in assists, averaging 4.3, which remains among the top-10 in the league.
History Lesson
With Wednesday night’s victory, West Chester captured its second PSAC East Regular Season title in three years and its first outright crown since the 2006 season when many members of the Golden Rams were in early years of Elementary School.
West Chester is also one win shy of tying the single-season program wins record of 23. The Golden Rams have won 23 games twice in their history, doing so first in 1998-99 and again in 2015-16, which was also the last time West Chester hosted the PSAC Final Four on campus.
Crashing the Glass
West Chester is seventh in Division II in rebounding, averaging 42.4 rebounds per game, which is also second best in the PSAC. The Golden Rams also lead the PSAC and rank third in DII in offensive rebounding, averaging 16.5 rebounds per game, while also leading the lead and ranking eighth in rebounding margin at +7.9.
Second Season Loading
Today is the Golden Rams regular-season finale as the team looks to end the year on a high note at league rival Kutztown. Already the PSAC East Regular Season Champions, West Chester will look to add a PSAC Tournament title to its mantle this year as the team enters the PSAC Tournament as the top seed, which also means home court advantage throughout the Tournament.
Rank and File
West Chester continues to receive votes in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) poll and appeared fifth in the first numbered Atlantic Regional Rankings of the season on Wednesday afternoon. West Chester trails West Liberty, Gannon, Fayetteville State, and East Stroudsburg in the latest batch of regional rankings, which is the second set released after an alphabetical listing was published last week.
Home Cooking
West Chester capped an unbeaten regular season at home on Wednesday night with a 75-70 victory over Millersville, which stretched the Golden Rams home winning streak to 18 in a row, which remains the best in the PSAC and fourth longest in Division II men’s basketball. This home winning streak, which dates back to early February last year may play a major role in the Golden Rams PSAC Tournament fate next week as the Golden Rams know the PSAC Tournament will run through Hollinger Field House, beginning with a home quarterfinal next Wednesday.
Series History
West Chester has won each of its last six against Kutztown, including an 84-79 victory in Hollinger a year ago, which moved the all-time series to 82-41 in favor of the Golden Rams. West Chester has not lost to Kutztown at home since January 2020, which ironically was the loss that halted the nationally-ranked Golden Rams 13-game winning streak to open the 2019-20 campaign.
Scouting Kutztown
Kutztown (8-19, 4-16) was back in action on Wednesday night at East Stroudsburg, falling to the Warriors by a 105-85 final. Kutztown found itself down 12 (48-36) at the half, despite shooting 45.5 % (10-of-22) from the field before trailing 57-49 in the second half as the Golden Bears shot 52.9 % (18-of-34) from the field in the second half of the loss. Amir Cunningham led Millersville in scoring in the loss, finishing with 20 points while Jaiden McGhee scored 15 as two of four Golden Bears in double figures. While Kutztown shot an even 50.0 % (28-of-56) from the field, including 44.4 % (8-of-18) from three-point range, ESU was just as effective, shooting a blistering 56.1 % (37-of-66) from the field, including a 9-for-22 effort from three-point range, while also going 22-for-29 (75.9 %) at the line.
As a team, Kutztown enters play averaging 72.9 points per game on 41.9 % shooting from the field and 30.0 % from three-point range, while also connecting on 75.9 % at the free throw line. Kutztown trails opponents 36.1-34.9 in rebounding, while also trailing 13.5-13.2 in turnovers. Kutztown’s opponents average 78.5 points per game on 47.7 % shooting from the field, including 35.8 % from beyond the arc. Individually, Bryant and McGhee are first and second on the team in scoring, averaging 20.0 and 12.0 points per game, while Jordan Nkoa Abessolo leads the team in rebounding, averaging 7.2 rebounds per game. Bryant also leads the team in assists, averaging 1.8 helpers per game.
