#5 West Chester at #1 Kutztown
Game Details: March 5 I 5:30 P.M.
Location: Keystone Arena (Kutztown, Pa.)
Coverage Links: Live Stats I Video I Tickets
Series: 51-38 (L1)
WCU Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Kutztown Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Last Time Out
After outscoring Millersville 24-13 in the first quarter on 57.9 % (11-of-19) shooting from the field, West Chester led by as many as 17 early in the third quarter before withstanding a late-game run by the Marauders to open the PSAC Tournament with a 64-56 victory. West Chester led 36-21 at the half, but after a strong third-quarter run by the Marauders and a strong start to the fourth, the Golden Rams found their lead cut to 57-54 with under four minutes to play. Led by six late points from Anna McTamney, West Chester outscored Kutztown 7-2 down the stretch to emerge with a 64-56 victory. Michelle Kozicki led all scorers with 23 points and 16 rebounds for her 19th double-double of the season, while Erin Daley added 10 points for the eighth time in 14 games. West Chester shot 36.5 % (23-of-63) from the field in the victory, including a 3-for-15 (20.0 %) effort from three-point range, while also going an uncharacteristic 15-for-27 (55.6 %) from the line. West Chester ended the game with a 45-33 lead in rebounding, including a 33-7 lead in offensive rebounding, while the Golden Rams finished the game with a 38-16 lead in points in the paint and a 13-2 lead in second-chance points. West Chester ended the game with a 20-17 lead in turnovers, including a 20-14 lead in points off turnovers.
Follow Their Lead
Kozicki and McTamney remain the only duo in the PSAC East to average in double figures, averaging 20.8 and 15.3 points per game, to rank second and ninth in the league in scoring, respectively. Kozicki, who has 18 double-doubles to her name, including 11 in the last 13 games, which remains third best in Division II women’s basketball, ranks third in the league in rebounding, averaging 10.8 rebounds per game. After her game-high 23 points in the opening round of the PSAC Tournament on Monday night, Kozicki has scored in double figures in all 29 games this season, while McTamney has scored in double figures in 24 of 29 games and led the team in scoring on five occasions. To take things a step further, Kozicki has scored 35 or more in a single game twice this season, making her just the third Golden Ram to do so (Leah Johnson 2022-23; Mitzi Reitnouer 1981-82) while also becoming the first player to do so since Leah Johnson.
Scoring Depth
After Monday night’s victory, which saw three Golden Rams finish in double figures, West Chester is now 14-4 in games in which three or more players score in double figures. The Golden Rams are 10-2 in games that see exactly three players score in double figures, including victories over California, East Stroudsburg, Shippensburg, and Millersville in the PSAC Tournament earlier this season.
In addition to the regular contributions of Kozicki and McTamney, West Chester can look to Erin Daley and Bella Mazur for excellent scoring depth. Since a career-high 19 points against Kutztown earlier this season, Daley has scored in double figures eight times in 14 games, including six of the last nine, which includes a pair of double-doubles. With this, the sophomore forward is now averaging 8.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Mazur, a rookie guard from South Jersey, has scored in double figures 12 times in her rookie season, including a 17-point effort on Wednesday night against Millersville, as she averages 8.9 points per game to rank third on the team in scoring.
Working Inside
West Chester has outscored its opponents in the paint in 23 of 29 games this season, including a 48-14 lead vs Wilmington in its home opener. This season, WCU has outscored opponents 898 (30.9/g)-512 (17.7/g) in the paint.
Second Quarter Woes
The second quarter continues to be a house of horrors for West Chester as the Golden Rams find themselves being outscored 482-399 in the second quarter, while outscoring opponents 462-454 in the first, 477-429 in the third, 534-498 in the fourth, and 35-17 in three OT wins this season.
We Love Free Stuff
West Chester is 14th in Division II and second in the PSAC in free throw percentage, connecting on 78.0 % at the line this season. WCU was the league leader and among the top five teams in Division II throughout the regular season, hitting over 70.0 % in 22 of 29 games and 80.0 % or better in 14 of 22, including a perfect 5-for-5 effort at SHIP on 2/12 and a 91.7 % effort vs ESU.
Playoff History
In its ninth PSAC Tournament in 10 seasons under head coach Kiera Wooden, West Chester is now 8-8 in PSAC Tournament games under Wooden and is searching for its sixth PSAC Semifinal appearance in those nine appearances. West Chester has appeared in the PSAC Tournament Semifinals in each of the last two seasons but remains in search of its first PSAC Championship game appearance since 2014-15.
Series History
After suffering a loss in the regular-season finale, which halted a five-game winning streak, West Chester will look to get back in the win column against Kutztown and improve to 52-38 all-time with a critical matchup against the PSAC East rival Golden Bears. West Chester swept three meetings against Kutztown last year, including a 69-42 triumph in the PSAC Tournament in March 2024.
The Season Series
West Chester will play Kutztown for the third time this season as the Golden Rams look to bounce back from a loss in the regular season finale. West Chester won its first game against Kutztown by a 68-58 final. West Chester trailed by less than two minutes and led as many as 20 late in the first half but needed a late-game defensive stand to escape with a 10-point victory. Kutztown cut the Golden Ram lead to three with under five minutes to play in this first matchup before the Golden Rams went 12-for-15 (80.0 %) at the free throw line to earn the 10-point win. Erin Daley led West Chester in scoring with a career-high 19 points as one of four Golden Rams in double figures. McTamney, Kozicki, and Mazur all scored 11 points in the victory, while Kozicki secured 11 rebounds for what at the time was her eighth double-double of the season.
In the second meeting at Kutztown on the last day of the regular season, West Chester trailed by 14 at the half but got the deficit down to just four with 10 seconds to play after a Daley jumper with 10 seconds to play. This was as close as West Chester was able to get in the setback as the Golden Bears closed the game out at the free-throw line to earn a 63-57 victory over the Golden Rams. Kozicki scored 17 points and corralled 11 rebounds in the loss, posting her 18th double-double of the year.
Scouting Kutztown
As a team, Kutztown enters play averaging 66.3 points per game on 39.6 % shooting from the field and 31.8 % from three-point range, while also shooting 74.1 % at the free throw line. The Golden Bears have won 13 of the last 14 games after winning 12 in a row following a loss to the Golden Rams in early January. Kutztown holds a 36.8-36.6 lead in rebounding along with a 15.6-15.7 lead in turnovers, including an average of eight steals per game. Kutztown’s opponents enter play averaging 62.2 points per game on 39.1 % shooting from the field, including 28.1 % from three-point range, while also averaging 12.4 made free throws per game.
Individually, Naia Pulliam is first on the team in scoring, averaging 17.1 points per game, while Leila Hurley is second on the team, averaging 11.3 points per game. Pulliam is also third in the league in scoring. Olivia Smelas is first on the team in rebounding, averaging 6.8 rebounds per game, while Pulliam is a close second, averaging 5.7 rebounds per game. Bella Quinn is first on the team in assists, averaging 2.6 helpers per game, while Smelas and Pulliam are tied for second in assists, averaging 1.9 assists per game. Shannon Remolde is first on the team in steals, averaging 1.6 thefts per game, while Smelas is second on the team, averaging 1.1 per game.
With a Win
With a win, West Chester would advance to the PSAC Semifinals for the third year in a row after falling to California and Gannon in the Semifinals in each of the last two seasons.
