PSAC Men's Basketball Athletes of the Week/Weekly Report - 3
Updated PSAC Standings
Updated PSAC Composite Schedule/Results
Lock Haven, Pa. - West Chester's Lance McDowell and Slippery Rock's Devin Taylor each led their teams to victory in their only games of the week, both posting more than 20 points and they are the East and West Athletes of the Week, respectively.
Shippensburg's Reggie Charles and Gannon's Adam Blazek both put up solid stat lines to help lead their teams to 1-1 marks over the last week and they are the East and West Freshmen of the Week, respectively.
PSAC East Athlete of the Week
Lance McDowell, West Chester
Senior, Forward
Philadelphia, Pa./Communications Tech
McDowell scored 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting (64.3 percent) and missed a double-double by just one rebound with nine boards to help West Chester to a 72-67 win over Chestnut Hill, which entered the game with a 4-1 record, in the Golden Rams' only game of the week. McDowell also hit on 6-of-7 free throws (85.7 percent) and recorded two assists and two blocks. He gave his team the lead for good with just under five minutes to play on a layup that started an 8-0 run in which he scored all eight points to turn a 60-60 tie into a 68-60 advantage for the Rams.
PSAC East Freshman of the Week
Reggie Charles, Shippensburg
Freshman, Guard
Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge
Charles averaged 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 2.0 steals to help Shippensburg to a 1-1 week. Charles shot 61.1 percent from the field (11-for-18), made his only three-point attempt and also made 11-of-14 free throws (78.6 percent). In the Red Raiders' 104-87 win over Central Penn last Tuesday, he posted 22 points, including 19 in the second half, and added a career-high nine assists while shooting 9-of-10 from the charity stripe. In Sunday's tough four-point loss to Shepherd, Charles recorded 12 points, five assists and four boards.
PSAC West Athlete of the Week
Devin Taylor, Slippery Rock
Senior, Forward
New Castle, Pa./New Castle
Taylor notched a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds to help Slippery Rock to a 77-72 win over Seton Hill in The Rock's only game of the week. He made 8-of-13 from the floor (61.5 percent) and 5-of-7 free throws (71.4 percent) and also recorded a blocked shot while committing just one turnover in 38 minutes of action. Taylor hit 3-of-4 free throws over the final 45 seconds of the game, which was part of a 5-of-6 free throw effort for the team in that time span, to help break a 72-72 tie and give Rock the win.
PSAC West Freshman of the Week
Adam Blazek, Gannon
Freshman, Guard
Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep
Blazek averaged 16.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.0 steals for Gannon last week in the 28th annual Gary Miller Classic, helping the Golden Knights go 1-1 at that event over the weekend. In Gannon's tough two-point loss to Daemen to open the tournament on Friday, Blazek scored nine points, pulled down three rebounds, dished out five assists and made three steals. In Saturday's 86-61 win over Roberts Wesleyan, Blazek erupted for a career-high 23 points, including 19 in the first half as Gannon raced out to a 19-point halftime lead. He hit on 7-of-9 field goals and 5-of-5 three-pointers in the first half. Blazek has now scored in double figures in three of his first four collegiate contests, shooting 60 percent or better from the floor in three of those games as well.
Team Notes
Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg took last week off and is back in action tonight against Penn State Hazleton…Bloomsburg improved to 4-1 on the season with three wins two weeks ago...The Huskies are also on a four game winning streak...Bloomsburg's 32-point win over Lock Haven was the team's largest margin of victory over a PSAC school since the 1994-95 season...Ed Hall grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds in the Huskies win over the University of the Sciences....The Huskies defense held Edinboro 38 points below its season average in beating the Fighting Scots 77-68.
California
The Vulcans will open play in their new Convocation Center this weekend when they host Mansfield and Bloomsburg...Cal U was idle last week, but has started the year at 4-0 for the first time since 2003-04…The start marks the best for the Vulcans since they started 10-0 in 2003-04 before finishing the year at 23-7 overall … Senior swingman Chad Tipton leads the team in scoring at 14.8 points/game after hitting 48.4 percent (15-of-31) from beyond the arc … Tipton has made a career-high five treys in a game twice this season … After missing last year due to injury, junior guard Travon Vann is averaging 10.8 points/game and a team-high 5.8 rebounds/game off the bench … As a team, Cal U is shooting 72.3 percent (73-of-101) from the free-throw line in four games – its first season at 70-plus percent since 2007-08.
Cheyney
The Wolves earned their first victory of the season downing Fisk 81-71 in the third place game of the Fresh Coast Classic in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. During the two day tournament Jason Sabb averaged 25.5 points while shooting 20-34 from the field. The Wolves fell behind by 17 but rallied shooting 65% in the second half to earn the victory. Backcourt mate Brandon Baylor also had a strong showing scoring 34 points while logging 76 minutes in the two games. Cheyney will host Edinboro and Lock Haven this weekend.
Clarion
The Golden Eagles took last week off and will return to action on Tuesday when they host Division II Susquehanna…Head coach Ron Righter won his 400th career game last Sunday over East Stroudsburg. Righter is 400-275 in his 26th year as a head coach including 376-251 in 24 years at Clarion. Righter was 24-24 in two years at Wilkes in the early 1980s before becoming a top Division I assistant prior to coming to Clarion ... Bud Teer had 17 rebounds Sunday, the fourth time in the last 2 years he's had at least 15 in a game and tied for the 2nd most in his Clarion career ... Paul McQueen shot over 60 percent in all three Clarion games during the week despite taking at least 11 shots in each ... Calvin Edwards hit 3 free throws with 2.2 seconds left to beat East Stroudsburg Sunday, the first time since Feb. 12 when Jamar Harrison hit a 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds left to beat Edinboro that the Golden Eagles have won a game in the last 10 seconds
East Stroudsburg
ESU (3-3) shot 61.7 percent in a 99-75 win over St. Thomas Aquinas on Tuesday to extend its home non-conference winning streak to 30 games ... Warriors made their first 9 shots in the first half and first 8 in the second half ... Jr. F Terrance King (20 points, 8-8 fg, 13 minutes) led six Warriors in double figures and Jr. G Gerald Bridges, Jr. had career-highs with 11 points and 13 rebounds ... King is shooting 68.1 percent (32-47) ... Fr. G Whis Grant had 12 points and 7 assists, his fifth game in double figures ... Fr. G Matt Tobin scored 16 ... Grant (16.3 ppg) and Tobin (10.7) are first and fourth on the team in scoring ... Jr. F Duane Johnson (14.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg) had 13 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists ... ESU has scored 90+ points in four of its first six games for the third time in school history (2009-10, 1993-94).
Edinboro
Bryan Theriot (25 points) and Isaiah Prince (22) combined for 47 points to lead Edinboro to an easy 95-75 win over Thiel in Edinboro's home opener. Theriot, a 6'9" sophomore, had his second career double-double, adding 12 rebounds. He saw limited action in the second half after scoring 23 points in the first half ... Clint Nicholson added 16 points after totaling just nine points in the previous two games ... Edinboro shot 53.6 percent from the floor and continued to spend plenty of time at the free throw line. The Scots went 30 of 37 from the charity stripe and are averaging 37.5 free throw attempts per game.
Gannon
Gannon split a pair of games last weekend while hosting the 28th annual Gary Miller Classic, falling to eventual champion Daemen 67-65 and defeating NCAA Division II transitional member Roberts Wesleyan 86-61 … the Golden Knights rallied from a 12-point deficit with 11 minutes to play against Daemen, but had a potential game-winning three-pointer bounce off the rim at the buzzer … redshirt junior Darrell Blanton was named to the all-tournament team after averaging a double-double in two games, posting 17.5 points and 10 rebounds per game … freshman Adam Blazek poured in a season-high 23 points against Roberts Wesleyan, including 14 in the first four minutes … Gannon opened the Roberts Wesleyan game with a 22-2 run … the Golden Knights improved to 31-5 in home games following a home loss during the last 13 seasons … Gannon has only lost consecutive home games five times since the 1998-99 season.
IUP
IUP was off last week and will return to action this weekend when it hosts Bloomsburg on Saturday in PSAC action…The 19th-ranked Crimson Hawks won all three games two weeks ago, improving to a perfect 4-0 …After an easy 84-59 win over Thiel on Monday, IUP picked up a pair of wins in its opening PSAC crossover weekend, beating Cheyney and Shippensburg on the road…The win over the Wolves was of the comeback variety, as the Crimson Hawks found themselves down by 12 points with just under 13 minutes left before rallying to take the lead less than six minutes later…Sr. G Julian Sanders scored a career-high 33 points in the 89-80 win…After falling down quickly against the Raiders, IUP made a couple of late first half runs to build a 14-point halftime lead and was ahead by as many as 33 in the second half for the easy 80-64 win over Ship…IUP opened its brand new Kovalchick Complex last week with a 62-54 win over Seton Hill.
Kutztown
Kutztown was idle last week and the Golden Bears will return to the hardwood this Wednesday when they host local foe Penn State Berks…Kutztown split its opening two PSAC games. It opened up with an impressive 96-75 win over Clarion. It nearly overcame a 15-point halftime deficit against Gannon but was unable to take down the Golden Knights as it dropped an 80-79 decision. Earlier in the week, KU fell to Wilmington in a non-conference game, 75-74.
Lock Haven
Lock Haven took last week off and returns to play on Saturday with a PSAC game at Cheyney…Terrell Johnson had a brilliant start to his career two weeks ago. The freshman started the week off by scoring 17 points against Ashland University. He added four assists and four steals in the contest. Against Bloomsburg, Johnson netted 11 points and against Mansfield he scored 10 points while dishing out five assists. He is averaging 12.7 points, 3.7 assists and 2.7 steals per game in the three games.
Mansfield
Mansfield was off last week and will return to action this Saturday at California…The Mountaineers split a pair of PSAC crossover games during the week dropping a 101-89 decision to Edinboro and downing Lock Haven 70-64 ... the 101 points given up to Edinboro was the first time a team scored 100 points against the Mountaineers since West Liberty posted a 101-90 win in 2007 ... Mansfield has had at least five players score in double-figures in each of the Mountaineers first three games this season ... Chuck Harper and Kyle Bradley each recorded double-doubles in the win over Lock Haven.
Mercyhurst
The Lakers fell, 67-51, at Lake Erie College Sunday night in their only game of the week. The loss is the first of the season for the Lakers...Mercyhurst shot 18-46 (39 percent) from the field, while LEC hit 23-47 (49 percent) attempts...Two weekends ago, Mercyhurst won two road conference games, defeating Millersville, 84-75, and West Chester, 90-71...Playing without two starters, the Lakers started out 2-0 in the conference for the second straight season...Mercyhurst returns to action next weekend, hosting Kutztown in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) contest at 3 p.m.
Millersville
A third consecutive close loss for the Marauders came on Wednesday at Wilmington when they fell 80-77. It was the third time in as many games that Millersville held a second half lead and lost by fewer than 10 points. Elijah Obade made 9-of-10 shots for a career-high 22 points, giving him two consecutive games in double figures. He also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. Mike Seibert scored a season-high 16 points, giving him double figures in four of five games this season. Jaymes Miller blocked four shots, giving him seven in the last two games and 12 in five games this season. He blocked just eight shots in 25 games a season ago. Four Marauders are averaging double figures and five are averaging more than 8.0 per game. The team is shooting 45.4 percent from the field.
Shippensburg
Shippensburg is 1-5 but has lost three games by four points or less...SU scored 104 points in a win over Central Penn, its most points under Dave Springer and the most in one game since totaling 108 in a home win over Slippery Rock on Feb. 25, 1995...the last time the Raiders surpassed the 100-point plateau was on Dec. 7, 2006, when they scored 103 in a win over Ohio Valley...senior Jordan Stasyszyn scored a career-high 26 points in the win over Central Penn...senior Will Royal and Stasyszyn lead the team in scoring with 79 points (13.2) through six games.
Slippery Rock
Sr. F Devin Taylor scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead The Rock to victory over in-region rival Seton Hill ... Double-double was his second of the season and SRU's second this winter ... Rock sank five of six free throws in the final 40 seconds to account for the final margin in a 77-72 win ... The Rock made 32 of 37 (86.5%) free throws in its back-to-back wins over Millersville and Seton Hill after hitting 26 of 49 (53%) in its opening two games, a season-opening win over Westminster and a loss at West Chester ... Saturday's win was the 60th recorded by a Kevin Reynolds-coached Rock team. Reynolds, who owns a 60-32 (.652) record, has the best win total recorded by a Rock head coach in his first four seasons. The old mark was 52 by Hank Baierl (1958-62) ... Reynolds is four wins away from moving ahead of Arthur Gant (1912-18) and into fourth place on SRU's all-time wins list and six wins away from displacing Bob Barlett (1985-94) in third place ... Rock is idle until hosting PSAC-East preseason favorites East Stroudsburg and Kutztown in back-to-back crossover games Dec. 3-4.
West Chester
West Chester picked up a win on the road over Chestnut Hill (72-67) in its only contest of the week ... Lance McDowell scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds ... Chestnut Hill entered the game at 4-1 on the season ... the Rams are 2-1 against CACC teams this season ... they will take on Holy Family Tuesday on the road.