PSAC WEST

[bballfan03]

UPJ up 9 on Hursr.. 3 min

Streaking is over... Gannon wins

[bballfan03]

LH up 14 on SRU
half

UPJ up 5 on Lakers
Half

UPJ up 9 on Hursr.. 3 min

[bballfan03]

Not sure what it is now but Boro was up 5 on IUP

Scratch that.. IUP pulling away

[bballfan03]

LH up 14 on SRU
half

UPJ up 5 on Lakers
Half

Not sure what it is now but Boro was up 5 on IUP

[IUPbigINDIANS]

LH up 14 on SRU
half

UPJ up 5 on Lakers
Half

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Is this something the PSAC does every year and I just don’t remember? It looks like it happens again in a couple weeks with a slate of Monday games on February 6th. That’s a lot of games crammed into a few weeks.

It's been going on several years now. I'm not a big fan of it. Counting this past Saturday, they are playing 4 games in 8 days. That's pretty tough on the knees, ankles, etc.

Of course, as Ethan Porterfield said in the paper today, the players think this is the best week of the season. I'm assuming he means very little practice and just playing the (fun part) games.

I'd rather them just play one more game prior to the holiday break and avoid these weeks. Cool as a fan, don't get me wrong.

[Chuck Norris]

Three games in 6 days is a b@tch.

Is this something the PSAC does every year and I just don’t remember? It looks like it happens again in a couple weeks with a slate of Monday games on February 6th. That’s a lot of games crammed into a few weeks.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Lots to process heading in to this 3-game week. Some areas are expected to get blasted with winter storms this week so we'll see if all these games actually get played.


IUP - Tough week for the Crimson Hawks with back-to-back road trips to start things off. In theory, tonight's trip to McComb is the light game of the week but IUP has had some tussles up there over the years at Edinboro. Except, that is, the year they played in Edinboro's practice uniforms. They clobbered them that memorable night. Some claim the equipment manager is still locked up in the basement of McComb. This is the middle game between two big games so a trap-ish type performance is possible. Wednesday's trip to Morrow Field House -- already deemed the White Out -- is always a thrilling, last-minute win - or, a debacle. East Stroudsburg's visit Saturday is obviously a huge one. Prediction: Not going to be easy, but IUP keeps getting the nod until they lose. 3-0

Mercyhurst - The Lakers have tough games to start and end the week, with a trip to Clarion in the middle. Mercyhurst has a tough trip to Johnstown tonight, followed by red-hot Seton Hill visiting the MAC this weekend. The Lakers have won 4 straight since losing at IUP. Prediction: 2-1

Pitt-Johnstown - UPJ got back on track with a tight win against Slippery Rock. The celebration will be short-lived with Mercyhurst coming to town tonight. The Mountain Cats go on the road the rest of the week with trips to Edinboro and California. UPJ has to win tonight to realistically stay in contention for the West. A loss tonight would put them four games behind IUP and two games behind Mercyhurst. Prediction: Tough call. Vegas says 2-1.

Slippery Rock - The Rock lost a heartbreaker in Johnstown 48 hours ago. Things get no easier tonight (Lock Haven) but at least it is in Morrow Field House. IUP visits Wednesday prior to a trip to Clarion on Saturday. Prediction: SRU is hard to predict. Vegas says 2-1.

Seton Hill - The Griffins are hot again -- winners of five straight. This is a tough week, however. California visits Greensburg tonight and the Vulcans aren't an easy out. Seton Hill then has back-to-back trips to Erie. The Griffins will play at Gannon and then at Mercyhurst. The Knights aren't a pushover and everybody knows the MAC isn't a friendly place. Prediction: SH has to get this one tonight but Cal is going to cause them some matchup issues. Look for a 1-2 week. Cal gets the mild upset tonight in McKenna.

California - The Vulcans make the short trip to Greensburg tonight before returning home to face Mansfield and Pitt-Johnstown. This is an interesting week. Cal is probably an underdog in two of the three but is capable of a 3-0 week. Prediction: The Vulcans are capable of going on a run. Look for a 2-1 week.

Edinboro - Not an easy week for the Fighting Scots. Two home games to start things off, but the guests are IUP and UPJ. A short trip to Gannon follows. Prediction: The Scots will be competitive for probably 22-24 minutes against UPJ and IUP. Gannon is a toss-up. Vegas says 1-2 (but could be 0-3).

Clarion - The Golden Eagles host three games this week inside Tippin. There's some pressure tonight against Gannon. No team ever wants to be another teams' first win. Mercyhurst and Slippery Rock follow. Prediction: Odds are good if Clarion is going to win one this week, tonight is the night. Call it a hunch, tonight won't be the Knight. Clarion goes 0-3 this week.

Gannon - The Knights have somehow reached January 23 winless. 'Somehow' because they aren't a terrible team. Tonight's trip to Clarion is perhaps the perfect chance to end the long losing streak. Seton Hill and Edinboro visit Highmark to end the week. Prediction: Gannon matches up well with the short-bench of Clarion. Seton Hill's zone will cause too many problems and too much frustration for the undisciplined (at times) Knights. Edinboro will be a toss-up. Safe bet may be 1-2.

[Ship69]

Three games in 6 days is a b@tch.

And actually it's four games in eight days, which is even a bigger one.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Yeah they'll go 1-2 this week. Might be able to knock down Cal or Seton Hill.

Three games in 6 days is a b@tch.

[Fightingscot82]

Yes, it would have been nice to meet up. I might make it to McCombs this season. I haven’t been there since maybe 2017 or 2018. I’ve always liked your gym.

If that defensive effort continues, there should be a few W’s coming.

Yeah they'll go 1-2 this week. Might be able to knock down Cal or Seton Hill.

[IUPTrackMan]

Aww man I wish I had known. Was there too and would have said hello.

Cleary really takes it personally when there's a foul calling disadvantage. He was pretty heated up early on but calmed down.

I agree that Edinboro is probably one piece away from being MUCH better. #22 had some bone headed errors (dribble off the shoe) and could get more aggressive. Keyes is very good but attracts fouls too soon. Fulmer is going to be very good and seems to be very popular with the locals. He could have been a star at the Rock. Gallagher plays much better and more mature than I thought he would.

Big difference is resources. Morrow is old but has been refreshed several times. McComb has received little more than lipstick in the last 40 years. Grady has almost twice the scholarships. Boro admins pushed a very wealthy basketball alum to fund academic programs instead of basketball. 39% male enrollment makes it very hard to put money into men's programs. Hard to finish on top when you're on the bottom in resources.

Yes, it would have been nice to meet up. I might make it to McCombs this season. I haven’t been there since maybe 2017 or 2018. I’ve always liked your gym.

If that defensive effort continues, there should be a few W’s coming.

[Ship69]

Amazing that every year you have squads like UPJ and SRU, etc., have great and fast starts to the west schedule, but when the calendar gets closer to turning to February, it's always Joe and Gary at the top. Amazing how consistently dominant those two have been in the division.

Not so surprising IUP stays up there. Good coaching, great facility for Division II, and more money than most PSAC schools direct at the program. You'd have to be an idiot to fail there right now, and Lombardi is about as far from an idiot as it gets in the conference. They are having an exceptional run these past few years.

[IUP24]

Updated MEN'S Standings

--

TEAM	PSAC	OVERALL	STREAK
IUP	11-0	17-0	W17
Mercyhurst	9-2	13-2	W4
Pitt-Johnstown	8-3	12-5	W1
Slippery Rock	6-5	12-5	L1
Seton Hill	6-5	11-6	W5
California	4-7	7-10	L2
Edinboro	3-8	5-11	W1
Clarion	0-11	2-14	L12
Gannon	0-11	0-15	L15

Amazing that every year you have squads like UPJ and SRU, etc., have great and fast starts to the west schedule, but when the calendar gets closer to turning to February, it's always Joe and Gary at the top. Amazing how consistently dominant those two have been in the division.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Updated MEN'S Standings

--

TEAM	PSAC	OVERALL	STREAK
IUP	11-0	17-0	W17
Mercyhurst	9-2	13-2	W4
Pitt-Johnstown	8-3	12-5	W1
Slippery Rock	6-5	12-5	L1
Seton Hill	6-5	11-6	W5
California	4-7	7-10	L2
Edinboro	3-8	5-11	W1
Clarion	0-11	2-14	L12
Gannon	0-11	0-15	L15