PSAC WEST

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

Mercyhurst put up 92 in a win over Boro .... say what? Wow

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

Looks like rock going down

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

Rock game 29 all half

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

Double technical in rock game ... No. 24 involved. Of course.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

SRU and Rock getting chippy

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

The lines just posted in Las Vegas.


Clarion at California -- The good news is somebody has to win. After showing some life in a spirited effort at IUP, Cal seemed to mail it in early this week. The Vulcans got blasted inside the Angelo Dome by Seton Hill. Clarion enters its swan song game having played fairly well in its past two outings. The Golden Eagles gave Edinboro all it could handle and jumped out to a nice lead on Gannon (leading at the break) before falling in the second half. Neither team made the PSAC Tournament. These games can be tricky. Which team is going to fight until the final whistle ... and which has already mentally checked out? Cal gave it to Clarion pretty good in late January but has lost 6 of their past 7 games. This one will be closer, but aside from Cameron Grumley, Clarion just doesn't have enough scoring punch. Grumley will have a big stat day against the Vulcan defense, but Cal has too many weapons. Vulcans -7

Mercyhurst at Edinboro -- Interesting game. Edinboro is coming off a very emotional, spirited loss at IUP. Mercyhurst is in a bit of a tailspin -- losers of three straight (all close losses). Both teams will turn around and play Monday night in the opening round of the PSAC Tournament. The Lakers won Round 1, 80-79, in late January. Mercyhurst can do enough defensively to slow down Edinboro's guards a bit but the question is can the Lakers score enough to win this game. In Mercyhurst's last three games -- Cal, GU and UPJ -- its offense has vanished (just 71, 50 and 64 points). They'll need to score in the mid-70s to have a shot. Neither teams wants to head in to Monday night on a losing streak. One of them is going to do so. As usual, Mercyhurst keeps this game close -- but not close enough. Edinboro -4

IUP at Seton Hill -- It feels like we've seen this movie before. Actually, we have. Two years ago IUP traveled to Greensburg under eerily similar circumstances (same date, in fact, for you superstitious types). Heavy favorite. Great shape for the postseason. Rolling. What was expected to be an easy game in front of 150 people turned into a disaster in front of about 2,000 juiced up Greensburgites. It was the largest crowd ever at Seton Hill and its biggest win in program history. Fast forward two years and the scene is very similar. Some things are very different, however. Most importantly, this IUP team is far better than that one. Seton Hill was also much better two seasons ago. This is an afternoon game. That one was a night game. IUP likely took that road trip for granted. Joe won't let that happen again tomorrow. The first meeting this year was a run-away. IUP torched the Griffins and were up near 30 points in the second half. The Griffins failed to make the PSAC Tournament but have won two straight. This is also a team that beat Gannon in Greensburg and lost at Slippery Rock in OT not very long ago -- so, they have showed some life at times. The McKenna Center is a tricky venue -- very tight, dim and claustrophobic. Seton Hill is much better at home than on the road. Look for a spirited senior day effort. Perhaps it's close at the half. But, with Malik Miller back, IUP is just too tough for Seton Hill to deal with for 40 minutes. Joe erases some demons. Crimson Hawks -12

GAME OF THE DAY

Slippery Rock at Gannon -- The stakes are high in the Hammermill Center. The winner gets a first-round bye and second place in the West. Ironically, these two teams will likely play again Wednesday night. The winner of tomorrow, however, will host. The three unfortunate referees assigned the game should get double pay. This should be the marquee home game of the season (so far) for the Gannon Bingo Hall Faithful. It would have a much better vibe as a night game, but that's a different topic. There's a lot to consider in trying to pick a winner in this game. Slippery Rock physically took it to Gannon in the first meeting -- a 72-61 Rock win in Morrow. John Reilly's team was dominated on the glass -- including giving up 19 offensive rebounds to SRU. Slippery Rock shot poorly from outside but dominated inside. A lot has changed since the Jan. 24 meeting. Slippery Rock is just 4-3 since the Gannon win -- including a very rare SRU loss in which it gave up 97 points to Edinboro. However, SRU recovered quickly last Saturday -- drubbing UPJ, 89-63.

Gannon, on the other hand, enters on a hot steak. Winners of 5 straight, the Knights are rolling. The big question in this game is can Gannon's post players handle Micah Till & Co. Evan Phoenix is a nice player, but he's not a physical player. Slippery Rock is gigantic under the basket and plays with some nastiness. Aaron McDonald made a return last week for Slippery Rock but exited the game after apparently re-aggravating his knee injury. However, SRU has been without him for several weeks now and should be adjusted. He was a non-factor in the first game -- playing just 16 minutes.

Tough one to call. Gannon has been winning but winning very close games. That doesn't last forever. Kevin Reynolds also has a proven history of beating John Reilly when the stakes are the highest. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if the winner of tomorrow is the loser of next Wednesday. These two play 10 times ... SRU probably goes 6-4 (perhaps 5-5). Basketball so often comes down to match-ups. Slippery Rock's guards can do enough to stay competitive. The Rock is too strong inside in this particular match-up. Till is going to wreck havoc in the Gannon post. Kevin Reynolds escapes Erie with a tough win -- and leaves scratch marks from those darn stools all over the Hamermill floor. SRU -4

Idle: Pitt-Johnstown

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

Unless your boy Manchel pulls an upset ... you GU folks are going to get to spend a lot of time with Reynolds over the next 6 days.

[Golden89]

Re: PSAC WEST

Gannon got down 20-10 early as Grumley scored 14 points in about eight minutes. The Knights were still down at the half before wearing Clarion down in the second half. Zay Jackson scored 15 points in less than three minutes and 22 in six minutes.

The Knights will need to play better defense on Saturday to come away with a win vs. Reynolds & company.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

IUP (1) - (17-4, 21-7) W3

Gannon (15-6, 19-8) W5

Slippery Rock (14-7, 20-7) W1

Edinboro (4) - (13-8, 16-9) L1

Pitt-Johnstown (5) - (13-9, 15-11) W1

Mercyhurst (6) - (9-12, 12-13) L3

California (6-15, 10-17) L2

Seton Hill (6-15, 10-17) W2

Clarion (0-21, 3-24) L16


PSAC Tournament - Round 1

UPJ at Edinboro
Mercyhurst at loser of Saturday's Slippery Rock/Gannon game

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

Seton Hill blows out Cal

Gannon over Clarion

UPJ beats Mercy

IUP over Boro

Rock: Idle

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

Huge night in the PSAC (East and West)


Clarion at Gannon
The Knights get a final tune-up prior to Saturday's showdown with Kevin Reynolds & Co. Clarion's painful season is almost over. Gannon has a little fun tonight. But, not too much. John Reilly will treat Clarion's visit as a Final Four meeting and have no voice by halftime. Knights -17

UPJ at Mercyhurst
The good times finally ended for UPJ this past Saturday at Morrow Field House. Slippery Rock brought the Mountain Cats back down to Earth a bit in a 26-point smackdown. UPJ had a very rare off day from the outside -- and SRU makes teams pay big when they aren't hitting shots. Both of these teams have clinched the final two spots in next week's PSAC Tournament. Both will be on the road in Round 1. The Lakers enter tonight on a two-game skid. There isn't much on the line tonight other than building some momentum. Mercyhurst lost the first meeting at Johnstown, 67-64. Sounds about right for Round 2. UPJ -3

Seton Hill at California
The Vulcans are a deceiving bunch. They are a better team than they have shown this year. Something small has been a little off (consistently motivated defensive play comes to mind). Regardless, it's too late now. The women's game is actually the main draw in the Angelo Dome tonight as both teams are regionally ranked. Seton Hill was a very disappointing team again this season. Cal is a better team -- albeit very inconsistent. That should be enough. Vulcans -4

Edinboro at IUP
Round 1 was one of the more interesting games of the season. IUP won a 'testy', 70-67, game at Edinboro on a three-pointer by Dante Lombardi with just 1.8 seconds remaining. For the amount of offensive weapons both teams have, it was an ugly game. The defenses actually took it over. Both teams shot some of their worst percentages of the season. IUP was beat up on the boards despite having a perceived big edge in the post. Both teams shot horrible from outside (EU: 6-26, IUP: 6-17). Edinboro star Keshawn Liggins got half of his 18 points at the free throw line. If anything, IUP was balanced as 5 players finished with 12 or more points. Edinboro got 29 of its 41 rebounds from its three starting guards -- pretty strange stat.

Enter Round 2 and the stakes are sky high. This is essentially a playoff game. IUP is fighting for its NCAA Tournament life. Edinboro still has a shot to jump in to third place in the West and get a friendlier seed next week. For IUP to win, it can't lose the rebounds by double digits again to a team of guards. IUP has a giant advantage in the low post and has to cash in on it. They need to play a little nasty down there. Defensively, IUP can slap floors and the such, but bottom line is they have a very tall task in front of them with Edinboro's three guards. Malik Miller's return gives the team a gigantic boost defensively. He is a big guard with lightning fast closing speed. Depending who is on the floor for IUP, their best bet is likely a combination of zone and man. IUP's post players can really spread the floor and it should cause Edinboro a lot of issues. Adding essentially their 6th starter back should also keep everybody more fresh late in the game. For Edinboro to win, it's pretty much the same formula as the first game. They have to play the odds they won't shoot 6-26 from outside again tonight. You assume Anthony Glover and Cobo Diaz get their points but limit the others from doing much damage. Survive IUP's runs. Filter out the crowd. It will be bumping in there tonight. Edinboro has to play clean. It's not easy getting calls in the KCAC.


Prediction: IUP has played in plenty of big games over the years. Edinboro has not. It will be a nail-biter because, well, every IUP game this season seems to come down to the end. Cobo is the difference tonight. If Edinboro has to collapse guards to combat him, he'll kick out to open shooters all night. If Edinboro plays him one-on-one, he'll win those match-ups. IUP plays off the crowd in what will probably be a chippy affair. Crimson Hawks -3

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

If I was making an actual 'starting five' for the West ...


PG: Dale Clancy (UPJ)
G: Keshawn Liggins (Boro)
G: Anthony Glover (IUP
F: Micah Till (SRU)
F: Cobo Diaz (IUP)

[IUPalum]

Re: PSAC WEST

PSAC West Player of the Year

Top Candidates entering the final week (in no order):



Keshawn Liggins (Edinboro) -- Leading scorer at 23.8 ppg and second in rebounding with 10.7 rpg ... has played a West-high 38.5 mpg ... 3.5 assists per game ... has spearheaded big turnaround season for the Fighting Scots

Micah Till (SRU) -- 21.3 ppg including 27 treys from the low post ... dominant rebounder -- leading entire PSAC with 12.1 boards per game ... 42 blocks ... has led Rock to a 20-7 record

Anthony Glover (IUP) -- 20.1 ppg on PSAC-leading 93 treys (shooting .463 from deep) ... .481 FG% ... 85% FT ... (4) games with 29 or more ... PSAC-leading 3.4 treys per game ... biggest games have come on big stages

Isaac Vescovi (UPJ) -- 21.1 ppg ... .566 FG% ... .905 FT% ... 36.4 mpg ... led UPJ to very strong season

Add Cobo Diaz and you have the first team All PSAC West team.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

PSAC West Player of the Year

Top Candidates entering the final week (in no order):



Keshawn Liggins (Edinboro) -- Leading scorer at 23.8 ppg and second in rebounding with 10.7 rpg ... has played a West-high 38.5 mpg ... 3.5 assists per game ... has spearheaded big turnaround season for the Fighting Scots

Micah Till (SRU) -- 21.3 ppg including 27 treys from the low post ... dominant rebounder -- leading entire PSAC with 12.1 boards per game ... 42 blocks ... has led Rock to a 20-7 record

Anthony Glover (IUP) -- 20.1 ppg on PSAC-leading 93 treys (shooting .463 from deep) ... .481 FG% ... 85% FT ... (4) games with 29 or more ... PSAC-leading 3.4 treys per game ... biggest games have come on big stages

Isaac Vescovi (UPJ) -- 21.1 ppg ... .566 FG% ... .905 FT% ... 36.4 mpg ... led UPJ to very strong season

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

UPDATED STANDINGS - PSAC WEST MEN'S BASKETBALL

IUP (16-4, 20-7) W2

Gannon (14-6, 18-8) W4

Slippery Rock (14-7, 20-7) W1

Edinboro (13-7, 16-8) W2

Pitt-Johnstown (12-9, 14-11) L1

Mercyhurst (9-11, 12-12) L2

California (6-14, 10-16) L1

Seton Hill (5-15, 9-17) W1

Clarion (0-20, 3-23) L15


Tournament field is set. Mercyhurst is locked at West No. 6 seed. UPJ at No. 5 seed. Both will play on the road in Round 1 a week from tonight.

IUP needs to beat either Edinboro or Seton Hill to clinch the West title outright.

Pending Gannon isn't upset by Clarion on Wednesday night, Saturday's Slippery Rock vs Gannon game will determine second place and the other first-round bye.