PSAC WEST

[Ship69]

Well, if the 'first half' of this men's season has told us anything ... it's that this -- as a whole -- may be the worst edition of the West in a very, very long time.

That should, however, translate to one heck of a race (for 2nd place) over the next two months.

Here's an attempt at re-ranking the division::


1. Gannon (5-0, 10-2) - How good is Gannon? I don't know. The Knights got blown out (twice) to start the season (against strong teams), but have won 10 straight since. With California dealing with massive injury issues and IUP looking like a JV version of IUP, Gannon should have a very easy path through January and February.

(insert big gap)

2. Slippery Rock (4-2), 7-6) - The Rock was without star guard Maceo Austin for portions of November and early December. Without him, things weren't good. With him, they are pretty tough. SRU entered the break on a 5-game winning streak, highlighted by a surprising road win at East Stroudsburg.

3. Clarion (3-3, 8-4) - The Golden Eagles can look pretty good one night -- and, well, not good the next. Clarion has been sporadic -- with a big win against Millersville sandwiched between looses to Lock Haven and Shippensburg. Clarion's starting group is tough. The bench, however, is very thin. When the officials get whistle happy, it's a major problem.

4. Seton Hill (2-4, 9-5) - The Griffins' rising star PG Dimitrios Sklavenitis hasn't played since Game 3. Seton Hill is 3-0 with him -- and 6-5 without him. No word on his status, but he's been out a long time now. If he returns, the Griffins can be pretty good.


THE REST (in no particular order)

IUP (3-3, 6-6) - The talk all season was this young team would get better as the season wore along. One could argue it's actually been the opposite. The cupboard isn't totally bare. There will be nights this group looks pretty good. There will also be nights this team looks terrible. IUP went 6-6 in the first half. With its two best players in the tracksuit army all season, that's about what this team is. There's simply too much inexperience and too many flaws in other (most) areas.

California (2-4, 7-7) ) - The Vulcans have been devastated by injuries. Two All-PSAC post players haven't played in a month. There's no 'next men up' replacing those two guys. Add to it their star PG missed a prolonged stretch. Making matters even worse, Cal's top reserve forward hasn't played in two months. In early November, the Vulcans looked like - at minimum -- a Top 3 team in the Region. The Danny Sancomb Show seems to have gone off the air. No injury updates anywhere. Who knows.

Pitt-Johnstown (3-3, 7-6) - Another young team. UPJ will have its moments -- good and bad. They play hard and disciplined -- same as all Rukavina teams -- but have some shortcomings.

Edinboro (2-4, 5-7) - The Fighting Scots may be the 'best of the rest'. Edinboro has a deceiving record. The Scots have (6) single-digit losses. Among those, Edinboro lost to Fairmont State (8 points), West Chester (1 point), and East Stroudsburg (4 points). However, they also have some very odd performances (such as a loss to a woeful Mansfield team).

Based on Ship's experiences with Gannon, Clarion, Seton Hill, IUP, and UPJ, I'd largely concur with your observations on those teams. Gannon is about the only game so far that I've felt Ship was completely outclassed. Clarion has a couple of individuals who are very hard to guard, but falls off after that. With Seton Hill, it all depends on how you do with their gimmicky zone defense. IUP is an up-and-down young team. UPJ shot the lights out against Ship — 50 percent three-point shooting and 18--of-19 from the free-throw line. Next night against Millersville there were about 30 percent in three-point shooting and missed eight free throws. They're not big and will go where their shooting takes them.

The East is basically a mirror image of the West this year — a mish-mash of unpredicatable and/or young teams — without a Gannon at the top. East Stroud is probably the best, but they haven't looked overwhelming. West Chester will have a say in things. Millersville seems very erratic so far. Shepherd and Lock Haven can be solid on occasion. Ship has some good young talent, but seems a player or two away and has had trouble putting together a complete 40-minute game. Bloom, Mansfield and Kutztown could spring the occasional surprise, but don't seem to have much talent at this point.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Well, if the 'first half' of this men's season has told us anything ... it's that this -- as a whole -- may be the worst edition of the West in a very, very long time.

That should, however, translate to one heck of a race (for 2nd place) over the next two months.

Here's an attempt at re-ranking the division::


1. Gannon (5-0, 10-2) - How good is Gannon? I don't know. The Knights got blown out (twice) to start the season (against strong teams), but have won 10 straight since. With California dealing with massive injury issues and IUP looking like a JV version of IUP, Gannon should have a very easy path through January and February.

(insert big gap)

2. Slippery Rock (4-2), 7-6) - The Rock was without star guard Maceo Austin for portions of November and early December. Without him, things weren't good. With him, they are pretty tough. SRU entered the break on a 5-game winning streak, highlighted by a surprising road win at East Stroudsburg.

3. Clarion (3-3, 8-4) - The Golden Eagles can look pretty good one night -- and, well, not good the next. Clarion has been sporadic -- with a big win against Millersville sandwiched between looses to Lock Haven and Shippensburg. Clarion's starting group is tough. The bench, however, is very thin. When the officials get whistle happy, it's a major problem.

4. Seton Hill (2-4, 9-5) - The Griffins' rising star PG Dimitrios Sklavenitis hasn't played since Game 3. Seton Hill is 3-0 with him -- and 6-5 without him. No word on his status, but he's been out a long time now. If he returns, the Griffins can be pretty good.


THE REST (in no particular order)

IUP (3-3, 6-6) - The talk all season was this young team would get better as the season wore along. One could argue it's actually been the opposite. The cupboard isn't totally bare. There will be nights this group looks pretty good. There will also be nights this team looks terrible. IUP went 6-6 in the first half. With its two best players in the tracksuit army all season, that's about what this team is. There's simply too much inexperience and too many flaws in other (most) areas.

California (2-4, 7-7) ) - The Vulcans have been devastated by injuries. Two All-PSAC post players haven't played in a month. There's no 'next men up' replacing those two guys. Add to it their star PG missed a prolonged stretch. Making matters even worse, Cal's top reserve forward hasn't played in two months. In early November, the Vulcans looked like - at minimum -- a Top 3 team in the Region. The Danny Sancomb Show seems to have gone off the air. No injury updates anywhere. Who knows.

Pitt-Johnstown (3-3, 7-6) - Another young team. UPJ will have its moments -- good and bad. They play hard and disciplined -- same as all Rukavina teams -- but have some shortcomings.

Edinboro (2-4, 5-7) - The Fighting Scots may be the 'best of the rest'. Edinboro has a deceiving record. The Scots have (6) single-digit losses. Among those, Edinboro lost to Fairmont State (8 points), West Chester (1 point), and East Stroudsburg (4 points). However, they also have some very odd performances (such as a loss to a woeful Mansfield team).

[bballfan03]

With the West an eight-team division for now, it also should be quite a race for seeding in the conference tournament.

If I had to place a bet, I'd say in the end Edinboro and UPJ will be wallflowers watching others dance

[Ship69]

The battle for second is going to be wild in the West.

In a division full of average teams (Gannon being the exception), Clarion will be right in the mix for the silver. They have some really good players.

Cal is obviously the wild card. 'If' they get their post players back, they are an entirely different animal. However, the losses are racking up fast down there. The Vulcans have went from 6-0 to 6-7.

Leaving Cal out of the conversation due to the unknowns, the 'rest' of the West -- Clarion, IUP, UPJ, SRU, SH and Edinboro -- will likely beat the hell out of each other in January and February. As of now, they are all capable of beating each other.

Updated Men's West Standings

-

TEAM	PSAC	OVERALL	STREAK
Gannon	5-0	9-2	W9
Clarion	3-2	8-3	W1
Pitt-Johnstown	3-2	7-5	L2
IUP	3-2	6-5	W1
Slippery Rock	3-2	6-6	W4
Seton Hill	2-2	9-3	L1
California	1-4	6-7	L7
Edinboro	1-4	4-7	L5

With the West an eight-team division for now, it also should be quite a race for seeding in the conference tournament.

[bballfan03]

Quasi-related lol nova SE is still playing generally only 7 players. They also play absolutely nobody though. Their non-conferende schedule is 283rd.

[Ship69]

Do all PSAC make the conf tourney?

No. It's been the top six in both divisions. That used to leave three out per division, but the West is down to eight now, so I suppose the bottom two will be left out.

[boatcapt]

The battle for second is going to be wild in the West.

In a division full of average teams (Gannon being the exception), Clarion will be right in the mix for the silver. They have some really good players.

Cal is obviously the wild card. 'If' they get their post players back, they are an entirely different animal. However, the losses are racking up fast down there. The Vulcans have went from 6-0 to 6-7.

Leaving Cal out of the conversation due to the unknowns, the 'rest' of the West -- Clarion, IUP, UPJ, SRU, SH and Edinboro -- will likely beat the hell out of each other in January and February. As of now, they are all capable of beating each other.

Updated Men's West Standings

-

TEAM	PSAC	OVERALL	STREAK
Gannon	5-0	9-2	W9
Clarion	3-2	8-3	W1
Pitt-Johnstown	3-2	7-5	L2
IUP	3-2	6-5	W1
Slippery Rock	3-2	6-6	W4
Seton Hill	2-2	9-3	L1
California	1-4	6-7	L7
Edinboro	1-4	4-7	L5

Do all PSAC make the conf tourney?

[bballfan03]

Based on body language, i think it's safe to say Montano will be leaving Gannon. Ive never seen a player look more disinterested on a bench before. He made his re-debut vs Shepherd and played final 3 mins. Even on the court he looked like he didn't want to be there. At buzzer he walked off court and got a drink.. the one asst yelled for him to get in line and he threw the cup in the trash and slowly walked over.

Not sure what's happened with essentially the PSAC West 6th man from last year.

[Sec10-A-14]

On the ladies side
Gannon signs 6'4" Katie Boal from Franklin

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Yeah. I figured Clarion wouldn't be an easy game for Ship, but I'm more nervous after seeing the Millersville score.

The battle for second is going to be wild in the West.

In a division full of average teams (Gannon being the exception), Clarion will be right in the mix for the silver. They have some really good players.

Cal is obviously the wild card. 'If' they get their post players back, they are an entirely different animal. However, the losses are racking up fast down there. The Vulcans have went from 6-0 to 6-7.

Leaving Cal out of the conversation due to the unknowns, the 'rest' of the West -- Clarion, IUP, UPJ, SRU, SH and Edinboro -- will likely beat the hell out of each other in January and February. As of now, they are all capable of beating each other.

Updated Men's West Standings

-

TEAM	PSAC	OVERALL	STREAK
Gannon	5-0	9-2	W9
Clarion	3-2	8-3	W1
Pitt-Johnstown	3-2	7-5	L2
IUP	3-2	6-5	W1
Slippery Rock	3-2	6-6	W4
Seton Hill	2-2	9-3	L1
California	1-4	6-7	L7
Edinboro	1-4	4-7	L5

[Ship69]

Men's


Bloomsburg won at Cal tonight.

Clarion got a big win over Millersville.

Yeah. I figured Clarion wouldn't be an easy game for Ship, but I'm more nervous after seeing the Millersville score.

[bballfan03]

If anyone wants a good chuckle, go to Boro/LH game. Forward to about 25 seconds. Let it play and after Boro makes a basket, LH inbounds and chaos pursues. But focus on the Boro player with the ball and locked with a LH player. Lol best acting ever!

[bballfan03]

Cal lost to Bloomsburg? Yikes!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Men's


Bloomsburg won at Cal tonight.

Clarion got a big win over Millersville.

[WarriorVoice]

Yeah, I see that it's tough times out there, the conference looks unrecognizable at the moment. I'm use to at least seeing 3 or 4 PSAC teams being in the NCAA tournament, so this might be the year that the CIAA can sneak in more than 1 team?

Let's not get crazy...