PSAC Men's Basketball Athletes of the Week - 9
Men's Basketball: Eastern Division Athlete of the Week
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Justin McCarthur
Shippensburg (Sr. / G)
Harrisburg, Pa. / Bishop McDevitt
McCarthur scored 20 points in both of SU's games this week, including a 10-point win over No. 18 West Chester. McCarthur shot 61 percent this week, including 54 percent (7-of-13) from three-point range, and 79 percent (11-of-14) from the free-throw line. At Mansfield, McCarthur paced the Raiders with 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting. He hit three three-pointers during a 15-6 second-half run to help tilt the game in SU's favor. He also finished with four rebounds and four assists. Against West Chester, McCarthur finished with 20 points for the second consecutive game and the fourth time this season. He was 4-of-6 from three-point range and added three rebounds. McCarthur has double figures in 15 of 16 games this season and posted the 73rd double-figure game of his career. |
Men's Basketball: Eastern Division Freshman of the Week
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Moe Williams
Kutztown (Fr. / G)
Townsend, Del. / Life Center Academy
Williams averaged a double-double last week with 13.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game in KU's 1-1 week. Of his 23 rebounds, 10 of them were offensive rebounds. Against Cheyney Wednesday night, Williams scored 13 points with seven rebounds. Saturday at ESU, he scored 14 points and grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds – the most rebounds for a Golden Bear since 2012 and most for a freshman since 2008 - including nine offensive rebounds – the most for a Golden Bear since 2010. He made six free throws in both games. |
Men's Basketball: Western Division Athlete of the Week
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Isaac Vescovi
Pitt-Johnstown (Sr. / F)
Patton, Pa. / Cambria Heights
Vescovi pourd in a game-high 31 points (2 shy of his career-high), including 22 in the second half and overtime, to help Pitt-Johnstown erase a 9-point halftime deficit in 88-85 OT win over Slippery Rock on Wednesday. It marked the second 30-point game of the season for Vescovi. The senior followed suit when he scored 20 points on 8-13 shooting 86-83 win at Seton Hill on Saturday. UPJ has won its last three conference games. |
Men's Basketball: Western Division Freshman of the Week
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Philip Alexander
California (Fr. / G)
Laurel, Md. / Mt. Zion Prep
Alexander averaged 10.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game last week, as the Vulcans faced a pair of PSAC West opponents. The Maryland native finished with 12 points on five-of-nine shooting, including two-of-three from long range in a loss versus IUP. He also matched a season-high with five rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench. Alexander scored nine points on four-of-six attempts and added two steals while making his second career start on Saturday in a loss to Mercyhurst. |
Game Notes:
California: Cal U men’s basketball team sits seventh in the PSAC West standings with an 8-11 record behind a 4-9 mark in league play. The Vulcans have made 154 shots from long range this season and rank fifth in the conference with 8.1 three-pointers made per game. Senior Isaiah Lewis averaged 16.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game over a pair of contests last week. Cal U trailed by as many as 26 points and managed to cut the deficit to two possessions in the closing minutes on Wednesday night in an 89-82 loss against IUP. Junior Jahmere Howze finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds (five offensive) to register his third double-double of the year. Over the weekend, the Vulcans posted season-lows in points and field-goal percentage in a 67-47 loss at Mercyhurst. Cal U returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 24, when it travels to face Clarion at 7:30 p.m.
Gannon: Gannon posted a perfect 2-0 record last week with victories against Mercyhurst (61-52) and Millersville (86-60) … Gannon extended its win streak to nine games, matching its longest win streak since the 2008-09 NCAA Division II Elite Eight team won 12 straight February 14-March 17, 2009 … the Golden Knights improved to 11-1 when leading at halftime, 10-1 when reaching the 70-point plateau and 8-1 at home … Gannon is now 120-9 when scoring at least 80 points during the last 15 seasons, including an 83-7 mark under head coach John T. Reilly … the Golden Knights out-rebounded their opponent for the 11th straight contest and 17th time in 18 games … it marks the first time the program has been the best rebounding team in 11 consecutive games since doing so 20 straight times November 20, 2013-February 1, 2014 … Gannon held its opponent under 70 points for the 17th consecutive game … it represents the longest such streak since doing so for 17 games December 3-February 7, 2009 … Millersville entered the contest with a 78.5 scoring average, but was held 18.5 points below its norm … Gannon out-rebounded its opponent by double digits for the eighth time this season and sixth time during the last nine contests … the Golden Knights' 55.9 shooting percentage was their best since shooting 56.9 percent during an 80-60 victory at Clarion on February 11, 2017 … Gannon dished out at least 20 assists for the fourth time in the last five games … the Golden Knights generated a rebounding margin of plus-20 or more for the fourth time this season … Gannon began the week by holding Mercyhurst 16.3 points below its norm after entering the contest with a 68.3 scoring average … senior Damon Miraud received the Porreco Pride of Erie Game Changer Award given to the student-athlete who had the most impact on the outcome of the Gannon-Mercyhurst game after recording 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Kutztown: Kutztown University went 1-1 last week. It defeated Cheyney University 85-49 on Wednesday, Jan. 17, and then lost at East Stroudsburg University 101-95 on Saturday, Jan. 20. Redshirt-freshman Moe Williams combined to score 27 points and grab 23 rebounds in the two games, including a career-high 16 rebounds (nine offensively) against the Warriors. The 16 rebounds were the most by a KU freshman since 2008, and the nine offensive rebounds were the most by a Golden Bear player since 2010. KU hosts Lock Haven University on Wednesday, Jan. 24 at Keystone Arena, before traveling to take on Shippensburg University on Saturday, Jan. 27.
Millersville: Millersville made maybe its two toughest road trips of the season last week, playing at Lock Haven and at Gannon. The Marauders scored a last-second win at Lock Haven, a key road win that kept the team in the hunt for the No. 6 playoff spot. It was Marcus Adkison’s 23 points and buzzer beater that lifted the Marauders at Lock Haven. Adkison scored 21 points per game and totaled five steals while hitting 50 percent of his shots from the field and 6 of 13 from three. He made 9 of 16 shots with four steals against Lock Haven and accounted for 35 percent of the team's points scored. While he shot 56 percent from the field, the rest of the team shot 31.5 percent. Against Gannon, he led the team again with 19 points, making 35 percent of the team's field goals and half of the team's threes. He also led the team in assists and steals in the game. Adkison has scored in double figures in 18 consecutive games and has scored more than 20 eight times. He has also made at least three threes 11 times.