West Chester vs Mansfield
Game Details: February 8 I 11 A.M.
Location: Hollinger Field House (West Chester, Pa.)
Coverage Links: Live Stats I Video
Series: 68-12 (4-1)
WCU Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Mansfield Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Last Time Out
After knocking off PSAC East leader Lock Haven on Saturday to open February, West Chester (10-12, 7-8) picked up its second win in as many tries on Wednesday night at home against Shepherd. The Golden Rams used a big second half, which saw them outscore their guests 41-17, shooting 51.7 % (15-of-29) from the field to break open a tie game at the half and roll to a 63-39 victory over the Rams. West Chester held a slim four-point (12-8) lead at the end of the first quarter after going 4-for-12 from the field before seeing itself outscored 14-10 in the second to head to the halftime break even at 22-22. West Chester opened the second half on a 12-3 run, which led to the Golden Rams outscoring their guests 20-9 in the third quarter on 7-of-14 (50.0 %) shooting from the field before opening the fourth on a 13-0 run, shooting 53.3 % (8-of-13) from the field, including two makes from three-point range to coast to the 63-39 victory. Michelle Kozicki picked up her 14th double-double of the year and seventh in a row with 23 points and 13 rebounds, while Anna McTamney chipped in 15, along with 12 from Bella Mazur and 11 from Erin Daley.
Thank You Seniors
As Saturday is the final Saturday home game of the season, West Chester will pause pregame to honor its senior class, which includes Michelle Kozicki, Anna McTamney, and Rachel Conran.
Since 2021-22 when Conran joined the team as a freshman, West Chester is 67-47 overall and 50-30 in league play with back-to-back PSAC Semifinal and NCAA Tournament appearances and the first NCAA Atlantic Regional final appearance in team history. West Chester won 24 games in both 2022-23 and 2023-24, which is tied for the second-most wins in single-season program history.
It’s Good to be Home
West Chester is 41-13 (.759) at home since November 2021, and the Golden Rams are 35-6 (.853) at home since November 22. This includes the team’s 27-game winning streak at home, which was halted in December after starting in January 2023.
Working in the Paint
West Chester has outscored its opponents in the paint in 17 of 22 games this season, including a 48-14 lead vs Wilmington. This season, WCU has outscored opponents 654 (29.7/g)-388 (17.6/g) in the paint.
Second Quarter Woes
West Chester has struggled mightily in the second quarter this season, being outscored 387-311 while outscoring its foes by 48 (1,115-1,067) in the other three quarters combined, including a 419-384 lead in the fourth quarter of games and a 771-713 lead in the second half.
Erin Emerging
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 four times in seven games, including an 18-point effort in the win at Lock Haven on February 1 and 11 against Shepherd on Wednesday night. The sophomore forward is now averaging 8.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game heading into the final weeks of the 2024-25 regular season.
Double-Double Machine
Kozicki ranks second in the PSAC in scoring, averaging 21.1 points per game, while her 10.3 rebounds per game are fifth best in the league. The senior forward has 14 double-doubles to her name, including seven in as many games, which ranks her in a tie for third in D2 in double-doubles while also ranking second in the PSAC. Emily Chmiel leads the PSAC and D2 in double-doubles with 16. 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.
Series History
West Chester is 68-12 all-time vs Mansfield despite dropping the season opener to the Mounties by a 77-72 final in late January. West Chester had been riding a five-game winning streak heading into the January 22nd meeting at Mansfield. West Chester has not lost to Mansfield at home since a January 2006 setback by a 72-65 final.
Scouting Mansfield
Mansfield (9-12, 5-10) enters play off a thrilling win at the buzzer over then PSAC East leader Bloomsburg by a 62-60 final on Wednesday night. Mansfield held a two-point lead after the first quarter but needed a furious second-half comeback, led by 19 points from Cydney Stanton, to earn the two-point victory. Mansfield shot 39.1 % from the field and 22.2 % from beyond the arc in the win, shooting 61.5 % at the line and ending the game with a 20-14 lead in turnovers.
For the year, Mansfield enters play averaging 62.6 points per game on 35.3 % shooting from the field and 28.1 % from three-point range while also shooting 64.7 % at the line. The Mounties trail by slim margins in rebounding (41.7-41.6) and turnovers (17.1-16.8). Katie Sheeler leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.1 points per game, while Sarah Hortin leads the group in rebounding, averaging 8.1 rebounds per game.
