PSAC WEST

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

The East is much stronger and deeper this year -- so far.

East Stroudsburg is piling up points. That said, it's too early to declare them a title. Their opponents to this point have a combined 19-28 record. Their schedule is about to get immensely more difficult including a 14-day stretch in January against Shippensburg, (at) IUP, (at) West Chester and Kutztown.

It will be interesting to see if they can put up a big number on the Gannon defense and its 1950s pace.

Shippensburg is still going to be a real tough out. Dustin Sleva is the best player in the conference. West Chester is also very strong. Even the teams with bad records in the East are solid -- Lock Haven and Bloomsburg are going to pull some upsets this year. They've both lost a lot of real close games already. Mansfield is a real tough out and Millersville has been much better.

The West ... wouldn't want to bet it ... put it that way. Cal's next two are going to tell us a lot -- (at) Ship and (at) Fairmont State. Edinboro has lost a little buzz after losing at Daemen and at Mansfield. IUP looks great one minute and like a train wreck the next. Gannon's lost 3 in a row and is in a brutal stretch. Mercyhurst seems shaky at best. Slippery Rock isn't getting the hype but may be the best team in the West right now.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

Bloom nips Clarion

Boro slips past Cheyney

IUP over Mansfield

Gannon D smothers ESU in huge road win

Ship blows Cal out of gym

UPJ over Lock Haven

WCU shorthanded over Mercy

Kutztown blasts Seton Hill

[Golden89]

Re: PSAC WEST

I must admit that if there was one game that I had chalked up as a loss before the season, it was today at East Stroudsburg. I am quite surprised, to say the least, particularly after the last three losses.

Holding Stroud to over 40 points below their season average is insane. GU's three-point FG percentage defense is the best in the PSAC. Gannon also outrebounded ESU 37-25 and forced enough turnovers that the 23 they committed themselves didn't sting as much.

[Guest]

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

UPDATED STANDINGS - 12/11/2017

(PSAC, Overall, Streak)


EAST

West Chester (5-0, 8-0, W8)
Kutztown (4-1, 8-1, W6)
East Stroudsburg (4-1, 7-1, L1)
Shippensburg (4-1, 7-2, W4)
Mansfield (3-2, 4-4, L1)
Bloomsburg (1-4, 5-4, W1)
Millersville (1-4, 3-8, L3)
Lock Haven (1-4, 2-6, L3)
Cheyney (1-4, 1-8, L3)


WEST

Edinboro (4-1, 6-2, W2)
IUP (4-1, 7-4, W2)
SRU (3-2, 8-2, W6)
UPJ (3-2, 5-4, W2)
Cal (2-3, 5-4, L2)
Mercyhurst (2-3, 4-4, L3)
Gannon (2-3, 5-5, W1)
Seton Hill (1-4, 3-6, L3)
Clarion (0-5, 2-8, L7)

[Golden89]

Re: PSAC WEST

ESU's two top three-point shooters both played. Nick Giordano (2.4 threes per game) was the one who was in foul trouble -- fouling out in 14 minutes, but was largely ineffective (1/6 from downtown) when he was in the game. Marc Rodriquez (2.3 per game) played 29 minutes and was 0/2 from behind the arc. ESU's third-best three-point shooter, Krawczeniuk, a non-starter who makes 1.7 threes per game, did not play.

I'm sure that Stroud didn't have their A-game, but Gannon's defense, who was able to control the pace of the game, deserves some credit for holding Stroud over 40 points below their scoring average.

[Guest]

[quannis]

Re: PSAC WEST

ESU's two top three-point shooters both played. Nick Giordano (2.4 threes per game) was the one who was in foul trouble -- fouling out in 14 minutes, but was largely ineffective (1/6 from downtown) when he was in the game. Marc Rodriquez (2.3 per game) played 29 minutes and was 0/2 from behind the arc. ESU's third-best three-point shooter, Krawczeniuk, a non-starter who makes 1.7 threes per game, did not play.

I'm sure that Stroud didn't have their A-game, but Gannon's defense, who was able to control the pace of the game, deserves some credit for holding Stroud over 40 points below their scoring average.

One of the "circumstances" of playing Gannon is that you will be defended all over the floor, and that on the other end of the floor the opponent will have to play defense for the whole shot clock. If those circumstances get a shooter, who might not have the legs or physical attributes to defend for the whole shot clock, into foul trouble on his defensive side, that's part of the game. You have to give credit to Gannon's overall defense from the inside out, with special credit to their 3-point defense. They are very highly ranked 10 games into the season for 3-point defense. ESU is highly ranked in either 3-pointers made or attempted per game. Circumstances dictate that we give credit where credit is due!

[Guest]

Re: PSAC WEST

One of the "circumstances" of playing Gannon is that you will be defended all over the floor, and that on the other end of the floor the opponent will have to play defense for the whole shot clock. If those circumstances get a shooter, who might not have the legs or physical attributes to defend for the whole shot clock, into foul trouble on his defensive side, that's part of the game. You have to give credit to Gannon's overall defense from the inside out, with special credit to their 3-point defense. They are very highly ranked 10 games into the season for 3-point defense. ESU is highly ranked in either 3-pointers made or attempted per game. Circumstances dictate that we give credit where credit is due!

[quannis]

Re: PSAC WEST

Sorry about that, MJ. Didn't know I was talking about the last four. Thanks for inferring that for me. However, I was citing some facts, statistics ya know, and some observations from the game in question.

Sounds like you were at Bowie? Can I get your opinions on that one? I know a few people who were there. We could compare notes! How does a team surrender a huge lead like that? Here's a hint:no video evidence. Look at the stats. A whole lot of outliers there.

Ship and Kutztown are stretch wins for Gannon. They would have to play close to perfect games to beat those teams, and they're not there at this point, maybe never this season. However, Gannon is deeper and more skilled than ESU at every position, and that's a good equation for a road win.

[Guest]

Re: PSAC WEST

Sorry about that, MJ. Didn't know I was

talking about the last four. Thanks for inferring that for me. However, I was citing some facts, statistics ya know, and some observations from the game in question.

Sounds like you were at Bowie? Can I get your opinions on that one? I know a few people who were there. We could compare notes! How does a team surrender a huge lead like that? Here's a hint:no video evidence. Look at the stats. A whole lot of outliers there.

Ship and Kutztown are stretch wins for Gannon. They would have to play close to perfect games to beat those teams, and they're not there at this point, maybe never this season. However, Gannon is deeper and more skilled than ESU at every position, and that's a good equation for a road win.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: PSAC WEST

Women's standings - 12/14/2017


boro 5-0, 8-0
iup 5-0, 9-0
cal 5-0, 8-1
upj 4-1, 7-3
sru 4-1, 5-4
sh 3-2, 5-3
gu 3-2, 5-5
mercy 3-2, 5-5
clar 1-4, 5-5


The West ladies had a really strong start. The worst team is at a .500 mark overall.

[Golden89]

Re: PSAC WEST

I'm not saying that the Stroud win makes Gannon a great team. Certainly Stroud didn't play their best game of the season, and Gannon played one of its best games to date to beat them. I'm not a Gannon pom-pom waver by any stretch; I've been critical here and on the GU blog when the circumstances warrant. But I am going to point out facts ... Holding a team to 40 points below its scoring average isn't just a fluke bad game by Stroud; the GU defense deserves considerable credit as well. One question ... If Gannon played at Stroud 10 times, how many times would Stroudsburg break 100? I say none. Stroud plays at home against St. Rose and vs Mansfield later this month. Will ESU score in the 60's in either game?

I'm just relieved that GU got the win. An 0-4 road stretch is devastating. A 1-3 stretch isn't the best, but it's not a killer. Not much margin for error the rest of the way.

Edit: Just looked at the national stats. Gannon is ranked THIRD out of 301 Division II teams in opponents three-point percentage. Every opponent must have their top three-point shooter injured or in foul trouble -- what luck! Or they must be just might pretty decent at defending the shot behind the arc.

[Golden89]

Re: PSAC WEST

Women's standings - 12/14/2017


boro 5-0, 8-0
iup 5-0, 9-0
cal 5-0, 8-1
upj 4-1, 7-3
sru 4-1, 5-4
sh 3-2, 5-3
gu 3-2, 5-5
mercy 3-2, 5-5
clar 1-4, 5-5


The West ladies had a really strong start. The worst team is at a .500 mark overall.

This is crazy. A 3-2 record gets you in a three-way tie for SIXTH!! Boro, IUP, and Cal are back to their usual selves. SRU is no longer a pushover, Mercy is improving and Gannon isn't the train wreck they were last year. Not sure about SH or UPJ. There will be some great games coming up.

And poor Clarion might be in for a long season.

[Guest]

Re: PSAC WEST

This is crazy. A 3-2 record gets you in a three-way tie for SIXTH!! Boro, IUP, and Cal are back to their usual selves. SRU is no longer a pushover, Mercy is improving and Gannon isn't the train wreck they were last year. Not sure about SH or UPJ. There will be some great games coming up.

And poor Clarion might be in for a long season.

What are you talking about? Gannon is 5-5 just like clarion. Do you even watch them? Two wins against the bottom east teams ( Cheney and shippensburg) one against a bottom CIAA team and a win against a 2-7 daemen team. One win out of six against quality opponents. That program has been a train wreck for years. Most likely 0-6 against the top three and splitting the rest would have them ended at 11-17. Not really the train wreck of 9-19 a year ago.