PSAC EAST

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Rough night for the East. Sure didn't see ESU losing to Wheeling. Lincoln also beat Kutztown.

[jrshooter]

That might be a quality win for Ship over Virginia Union, especially minus Biss. Haven't seen details yet, but it was a 71-66 final.

(Stage directions: He returns a short while later.)

Yes, there were some things I really liked in that boxscore. Without Biss, they still had all seven guys in the rotation score between 7 and 15 points. And the 15 came from one of those redshirt freshmen who have waited three years, Andrew Recchia (in just 12 minutes).

Raiders were tied 53-53 with 7:40 left and went on a 12-2 run.

Starters: Sleva-Carter-Hardy-Nedrow-Rashon Johnson. I'd think Johnson will be coming off the bench when Biss returns, along with Recchia and Michael Dunn.

[Ship69]

That might be a quality win for Ship over Virginia Union, especially minus Biss. Haven't seen details yet, but it was a 71-66 final.

(Stage directions: He returns a short while later.)

Yes, there were some things I really liked in that boxscore. Without Biss, they still had all seven guys in the rotation score between 7 and 15 points. And the 15 came from one of those redshirt freshmen who have waited three years, Andrew Recchia (in just 12 minutes).

Raiders were tied 53-53 with 7:40 left and went on a 12-2 run.

Starters: Sleva-Carter-Hardy-Nedrow-Rashon Johnson. I'd think Johnson will be coming off the bench when Biss returns, along with Recchia and Michael Dunn.

Yeah, nice to see the big contributions from Recchia, Dunn, and Johnson, especially Recchia as I hadn't heard him hyped a lot. With Biss back, this team should have good depth at the guard and "tweener" positions. They'll want to keep Sleva and Nedrow out of foul trouble, though, as there isn't a lot of beef up front. Doubt they'll handle Virginia State tonight without Biss, but looks like the materials are there for another good year.

[Bart]

Bloom WBB battled ranked Glenville before losing by 2. 81-79

[jrshooter]

Yeah, nice to see the big contributions from Recchia, Dunn, and Johnson, especially Recchia as I hadn't heard him hyped a lot. With Biss back, this team should have good depth at the guard and "tweener" positions. They'll want to keep Sleva and Nedrow out of foul trouble, though, as there isn't a lot of beef up front. Doubt they'll handle Virginia State tonight without Biss, but looks like the materials are there for another good year.

Good call on Virginia State, sir. Raiders lose by 10 despite a 21-point night by Nedrow.

[Ship69]

Good call on Virginia State, sir. Raiders lose by 10 despite a 21-point night by Nedrow.

Not unhappy with the results of the weekend. VSU is usually one of the stronger teams in the CIAA, and the game apparently was very competitive most of the way. They played well against two strong opponents without Biss. Glad to see a good night from Nedrow, and it sounds as if Johnson is going to be a valuable addition. Ship actually gets another game at home with VSU in January, and it'll be interesting to see how that goes with Biss in the lineup.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

What is going on in Kutztown? 0-3

Millersville had a big win over WV State tonight. Didn't see a blowout happening.

[Ship69]

What is going on in Kutztown? 0-3

Millersville had a big win over WV State tonight. Didn't see a blowout happening.

Millersville should be pretty good. I don't think the East is as stacked as the West this year, but it still will be a dogfight.

[Scrub]

What is going on in Kutztown? 0-3

Millersville had a big win over WV State tonight. Didn't see a blowout happening.

That's a real nice win for Millersville. WV State has certainly been known to take nights off in the past (they'll end up with multiple head-scratching losses every year), but we probably haven't heard the last from them this season. But, yes, to win by that large a margin speaks well of Millersville for sure. That win may continue to pay dividends for Millersville. Just as WVSU is always good for a few head-scratching losses, you can also count on them to pick up a few marquee wins as well. So they should help boost Millersville's profile going forward.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Millersville should be pretty good. I don't think the East is as stacked as the West this year, but it still will be a dogfight.

The 'Ville visits IUP in less than a month.

It kicks off a very tough week for IUP -- Tuesday (Millersville), Saturday (Shepherd) and Sunday (Shippensburg).

Even from back in its MEC days Shepherd is winning about the same amount of games but plays everybody pretty tough.

[Scrub]

Even from back in its MEC days Shepherd is winning about the same amount of games but plays everybody pretty tough.

Yup. That was always their MO. About a .500 record, but never an easy out when you had to lace up against them.

[Ship69]

Cal's visit to Shippensburg could be tough for the Biss-less Raiders next Tuesday. Biss's absence has thrown the rotation off somewhat for a team that doesn't have much experienced depth to begin with. When either Luke Nedrow or Dom Sleva get in foul trouble this season, it's going to be a problem. On the plus side, Carlos Carter and newcomer Rashon Johnson played lights-out Wednesday night in an 84-66 win over Wilmington. When Biss returns, he'll have to get himself back up to speed, and some of the younger players such as Dunn and Recchia are going to have to get more minutes. Unfortunately, the upcoming schedule with Cal, Mercyhurst, Pitt-Johnstown, and IUP is not going to allow for a soft landing. Obviously, I hope for the best as a Ship fan, but it's entirely possible a pretty good Ship team could be .500 or even below that coming out of December.

On another down note for Ship, the women's team lost to a good Jefferson team, but the big news was that Ship star Aerial Jones was sitting on the sideline with a boot on her ankle. Obviously if Jones, who scored 35 in Ship's opener and has more than 2,000 points for her career, is out for any length of time it totally changes the equation for the Ship women's team and the PSAC East.

So going into the fourth game of the season, both the Ship men's and women's teams are playing without their outstanding players.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Cal's visit to Shippensburg could be tough for the Biss-less Raiders next Tuesday. Biss's absence has thrown the rotation off somewhat for a team that doesn't have much experienced depth to begin with. When either Luke Nedrow or Dom Sleva get in foul trouble this season, it's going to be a problem. On the plus side, Carlos Carter and newcomer Rashon Johnson played lights-out Wednesday night in an 84-66 win over Wilmington. When Biss returns, he'll have to get himself back up to speed, and some of the younger players such as Dunn and Recchia are going to have to get more minutes. Unfortunately, the upcoming schedule with Cal, Mercyhurst, Pitt-Johnstown, and IUP is not going to allow for a soft landing. Obviously, I hope for the best as a Ship fan, but it's entirely possible a pretty good Ship team could be .500 or even below that coming out of December.

On another down note for Ship, the women's team lost to a good Jefferson team, but the big news was that Ship star Aerial Jones was sitting on the sideline with a boot on her ankle. Obviously if Jones, who scored 35 in Ship's opener and has more than 2,000 points for her career, is out for any length of time it totally changes the equation for the Ship women's team and the PSAC East.

So going into the fourth game of the season, both the Ship men's and women's teams are playing without their outstanding players.

Is Biss still on pace to be back for Game 5?

[Ship69]

Is Biss still on pace to be back for Game 5?

Not sure. He was present, but in street clothes. Wasn't walking with a noticeable limp or anything. If he does come back in game 5, playing your first game against Mercyhurst after not playing in two years will certainly be no breather. I suspect he'll be back before Jones, although she might have just had the boot on for an ankle sprain or something. The men's team really needs Biss. We have a good core, but there is not much experienced depth after the first six guys. They only got two points from the bench Wednesday. A team like Mercyhurst that has big bodies and played last season, albeit with a limited schedule, is going to be a tough gig.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Not sure. He was present, but in street clothes. Wasn't walking with a noticeable limp or anything. If he does come back in game 5, playing your first game against Mercyhurst after not playing in two years will certainly be no breather. I suspect he'll be back before Jones, although she might have just had the boot on for an ankle sprain or something. The men's team really needs Biss. We have a good core, but there is not much experienced depth after the first six guys. They only got two points from the bench Wednesday. A team like Mercyhurst that has big bodies and played last season, albeit with a limited schedule, is going to be a tough gig.

Well, him being present means he wasn't in the Covid protocol. When that happens they aren't allowed near the team. It was just odd they stated 'first four games'. Usually with an injury it is hard to give such a firm diagnosis/length. I know he's a high character young man so I surely wouldn't think it was a suspension.

You're right, though. Injuries in D2 basketball are brutal. Teams don't have the depth like D1 rosters do. Many times on this level you go from a scholarship player to a walk-on being elevated in to the rotation. I know the 'next man up' cliche ... but in D2 the 'next man up' is almost always a significant downgrade.