PSAC WEST

[Golden89]

Cal hits 3 at buzzer for 37-27 halftime lead. Gannon is 0-4 this season when the opposing team hits a buzzer shot at half

[bballfan03]

Cal hits 3 at buzzer for 37-27 halftime lead. Gannon is 0-4 this season when the opposing team hits a buzzer shot at half

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Anybody know what time the Saturday games will be played this weekend?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Lock Haven at West Chester - The Bald Eagles lost their past three games and still found their way in to the mini-dance. Sometimes a foot in the door is all it takes. These teams split the regular season. West Chester won the second game about 10 days ago in convincing fashion, 98-83. Lock Haven has been scoring pretty consistently all year, but as of late its defense has been getting torched -- giving up 92 points or more in each of their past three outings. Being home -- and having a much deeper bench -- should make the difference for the Rams. WCU -7

Slippery Rock at UPJ - The Mountains Cats enter the PSAC Tournament stumbling a bit. UPJ has lost 3 of its past 5 games. One of those was against Slippery Rock. The regular season meetings were decided by a combined 6 points. Slippery Rock's physical style is a major concern for UPJ. The Rock has hammered the Mountain Cats on the glass in both games and has also held UPJ to just 72 and 75 points -- well below their 82 ppg average. For UPJ to win this game it has to speed up the pace -- they are at the their best in an up-tempo style. If SRU can slow the game down, rough things up and grind it out, UPJ will be in trouble. Tough call. This is a game Micah Till needs to take over. UPJ doesn't have an answer for him. SRU steals one late. Rock -3

Shepherd at Millersville - They've played twice. Total margin in the two games? Two points. Shepherd won both. Nobody knows which Millersville team will show up on a given night. Will it be the one that was recently hammered by 17 at West Chester or will it be the one that turned around and beat Lock Haven by 18 points? Shepherd's inconsistency is also well-documented. The Mauraders are likely a small favorite tonight being at home. The Rams are 11-4 at home this year and 3-10 on the road. That's probably the key stat tonight. The 'Ville pulls out a tight one. Marauders -2

Gannon at California - It's never easy to play the same team twice in 72 hours. These teams split the regular season -- with the visitor winning each game. In games this year against the top defensive teams in the West (IUP, Mercyhurst and Gannon), the Vulcans have struggled to score the basketball. In those six games, Cal scored just 69, 68, 69, 70, 56 and 71 points -- all well below its 81 ppg season average. That said, the Vulcans are due for a big shooting night. In its past two games, Cal has hit just 16 of 59 (27%) from outside. Gannon's mix of very athletic guards and solid post players can disrupt much of California's offensive flow. Very difficult game to pick. This time of year all comes down to match-ups -- and, Gannon has a favorable match-up. Knights pull out a single-digit win. GU -4

[IUPbigINDIANS]

No material for KJ. I said I'd rather NOT play Gannon.

[Golden89]

It's a tough call. A couple weeks ago I said I'd not want to play Cal again. Now ... not so sure.

The KCAC will get after Pegram hard ... and he'll take the bait. He's a hot head. Couple weeks ago Gannon played pretty ice despite a fired up crowd.

Cal has very little inside game. Gannon does. Cal just keeps chucking those treys whether they are falling or not. IUP took GU's best shot two weeks ago and still won.

If I had to pick I'd play Cal again. Quote this post if it backfires.

Tough game either way. Home court makes the difference.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Yes. Hard bracket. IUP plays GU / Cal winner regardless of SRU / UPJ outcome.

Mercyhurst would much rather play UPJ than SRU. UPJ had all the hype early on but they are soft. No chance they are beating Mercyhurst in the MAC. I doubt they beat SRU tomorrow.

A little (any) toughness is the only thing UPJ is missing.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It's a tough call. A couple weeks ago I said I'd not want to play Cal again. Now ... not so sure.

The KCAC will get after Pegram hard ... and he'll take the bait. He's a hot head. Couple weeks ago Gannon played pretty ice despite a fired up crowd.

Cal has very little inside game. Gannon does. Cal just keeps chucking those treys whether they are falling or not. IUP took GU's best shot two weeks ago and still won.

If I had to pick I'd play Cal again. Quote this post if it backfires.

Tough game either way. Home court makes the difference.

[Golden89]

I don't think they re-seed. Isn't the winner of Cal vs GU coming here Wednesday? Automatically?

Yes. Hard bracket. IUP plays GU / Cal winner regardless of SRU / UPJ outcome.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I don't think they re-seed. Isn't the winner of Cal vs GU coming here Wednesday? Automatically?

[IUPalum]

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Interesting pair of games in the West tomorrow night.

Round 1

Gannon at Cal
- Split season series. Both lost at home ... with GU winning in the Angelo Dome less than 24 hours ago. Two games versus the same opponent in 72 hours is never easy.


SRU at UPJ
- One of the worst pairings UPJ could have got. SRU should have went 2-0 against them but went just 1-1. The Rock is a bad match-up for UPJ. The Mountain Cats got pounded last night regardless of that final 11-point margin. They were down 21 with minutes to go. The Rock's interior D suffocates much of the pick-n-roll stuff UPJ runs.


Two tough games to pick.

[Golden89]

PS: it is also amazing in the IUP-UPJ game to see 7 players from PIAA District 10 on the floor at one time.

Playing for two schools located outside District 10. Hope KJ does better at keeping good local players.

[IUPTrackMan]

[IUPTrackMan]

Hurst wins 75 - 69