Ladies set to host Edinboro

What: Edinboro Fighting Scots @ Kutztown Golden Bears
When: Saturday, January 10, 2009 @ 1 p.m.
Where: Keystone Hall on the campus of Kutztown University

The KU women’s basketball team will play host to Edinboro on Saturday in what will be the team’s first home PSAC Crossover game of the 2008-09 campaign. The Golden Bears are 9-2 this season, which includes a 2-1 record against PSAC West teams. KU kicked the season off with a 66-51 victory over Slippery Rock as part of November’s Kutztown Classic and this past weekend split against two western division foes, falling 98-59 to Gannon before taking care of Clarion 87-69.

Meanwhile, Edinboro comes into town at 7-4 and is fresh off a weekend sweep of PSAC East contenders Mansfield and Bloomsburg. The Fighting Scots beat MU 88-65 on Saturday before crushing BU 77-55 on Sunday. Edinboro, coached by Stan Swank, went 17-10 last season, including 6-6 in the PSAC West.

In last season’s only meeting between the teams, Edinboro snuck out of Keystone Hall with a 48-46 victory in what was a solid defensive game by both teams. The score was 18-17 at the half in favor of Edinboro, which used 23 points from Samantha Reimer to carry them to the eventual 2 point victory. Melissa McQuade was the high scorer among returning players for KU, notching 8 points.

The Golden Bears will be looking to prove that their 9-2 early-season record is no fluke. With their nine wins coming against a less than impressive cast of opponents for the most part (SRU, Pitt-Johnstown, USP, Lincoln, Columbia Union x2, PSU-Berks, Chestnut Hill, Clarion), the Golden Bears need to get a few strong games in against top PSAC teams before divisional play begins next week.

Speaking of which, following tomorrow’s home PSAC West crossover contest with Lock Haven at 1 p.m., the Golden Bears will head to East Stroudsburg on Wednesday to open up PSAC East play against the Warriors. That game is set for 6 p.m.

Probable Starters:
Edinboro:
F- # 22 – Kelsey Conklin
F- # 32 – Renee Brown
F- # 14 – Micki Cerchiaro
G- # 33 – Samantha Reimer
G- # 20 – Casey Heller
Kutztown:
C- # 33 – Chauntelle Schroeder
F- # 23 – Melissa McQuade
F- # 32 – Katie Dovey
G- # 11 – Rachel Wisemiller
G- # 13 – Meredith Starr

Scouting Report:
The Golden Bears are led by superstar sophomore forward Melissa McQuade, who is undoubtedly one of the PSAC’s finest players. McQuade is averaging 17.2 points and 8.9 rebounds this season, which are team bests. Her 31 steals, 50% three-point percentage, and 56.3% field goal percentage are team best and her 43 assists are second best.

Junior Rachel Wisemiller [Pictured at top of story] will start at the 2 or 3 position and will be relied on for her three point shooting ability. Wisemiller has made 40% of her 80 three point attempts this season and is second on the team in scoring, averaging 15.2 PPG. Junior center Chauntelle Schroeder didn’t see much action her first two seasons at KU before jumping into a starting role this season, but has answered the call by averaging 9.5 points and 6.3 rebounds a game. Sophomore point guard Meredith Starr has struggled as of late, but is still one of the PSAC’s best in terms of assist/turnover ratio. Her 62 dimes this season put her on pace to break the school’s single-season record.

Senior guard Lara Dellegrotti or junior forward Katie Dovey will man the other starting spot, but both should see significant action regardless. Dellegrotti has been a starter since arriving at KU, but has been plagued by injuries and is working her way back into the lineup as she tries to get back to 100% health. She averages 12 points per game when she plays, has 26 assists, and is one of the team’s best shooters. Dovey has done a fine job replacing Dellegrotti in the starting lineup and could get the nod this weekend. She has scored just under 6 points and grabbed just above 4 rebounds a game. [Update: It was confirmed this week by Coach Malouf that Dovey will start in place of Dellegrotti once again this weekend.]

Freshmen forwards Brittany Le Van, Hannah Mertz, and Brittany Greaves are expected to see limited action off the bench. Junior guard Vivian Melvin and freshman guard Vanina Bonanno, who made her debut against Gannon on Saturday, will spell the backcourt for time.

Edinboro is led by junior guard Samantha Reimer, who paces the team with 21.9 PPG and 46 assists. Her 179 shots, including 68 threes, and 58 turnovers show that she isn’t afraid to try and make plays, so KU will need to try and frustrate her with its stingy defense. Meanwhile, two other Fighting Scots are averaging double figures in scoring this season, with junior forward Kelsey Conklin managing 19.7 a game and freshman forward Renee Brown contributing 13.2 a game. The other two starters are expected to be freshman forward Micki Cerchiaro (9.5 PPG) and junior guard Casey Heller (4.5 PPG). Conklin leads the team with 8.5 rebounds a game and 30 steals, while Brown paces the way with 12 blocks.

Prediction:
It’s still a bit too early to know how PSAC teams are going to match up, but Edinboro made a big statement this past weekend when they smoked Bloomsburg and Mansfield. The Golden Bears disappointed against the West’s top team in Gannon on Saturday, but did bounce back strong with a thrashing of Clarion on Sunday.

I expect KU to come out strong this weekend against an extremely talented Edinboro squad. The Golden Bears have the firepower to win this game if they shoot well and I believe they will carry the momentum from Sunday into this game, keeping it close throughout. In the end, KU will slip by thanks to a Rachel Wisemiller last second three pointer.

Edinboro 58
Kutztown 60

A Starr in the making?

With the women’s basketball team off to an impressive 6-0 start this season, it’s about that time where we will begin debating whether or not this team is for real or not. One way to do that is to review the improvement of some of the team’s key players.

Melissa McQuade, Lara Dellegrotti, and Rachel Wisemiller have received most of the spotlight for the early success, and while it is certainly warranted, the success of those three should not be much of a surprise. All three players were outstanding a year ago and are continuing that trend here in the early portion of 2008-09.

One player who doesn’t jump out in the scoring column of the boxscore, but who deserves a lot of credit for both her improvement this season and for the team’s strong start is sophomore guard Meredith Starr.

After hitting a game-winning three pointer off the bench in her first collegiate game, Starr was thrown into the starter’s role just two games later and suffered through some growing pains throughout the year.

This year, Starr entered her sophomore season as a starter in the backcourt and has quietly been sensational. She’s shown improvement in almost every single statistical category, which begs the question, is she for real or is this simply a product of the team’s relatively easy early season schedule? We won’t know for sure until PSAC games start in a few weeks, but it’s never too early to check out her progress. I’m usually a stickler for sample size, but I compared Starr’s numbers from last season to her numbers so far in six games this year.

Shooting Percentage:
Starr has been shooting the ball better this season, improving her overall field goal percentage from 29% to 34%. That is not a mind-blowing improvement, but it is easy to trace. Last season, 56% of her shots were from beyond the three point arc. This season, only 43% of her shots have come from long range. So, despite the fact that she has seen her three-point percentage drop one point to 27% this year, she has still improved her overall shooting percentage simply by improving her shooting percentage on 2 point field goals from 30% to 40%.

I already mentioned she is taking less three pointers per game, but another statistic that jumped out at me was the fact that she is actually taking slightly less total shots per minute of action, which is not a bad thing, as it opens up the opportunity for her to improve in other categories, which is a good segue (I’d swear that word was spelled ‘segway’ until today) to…

Assists:
This is where Starr has really stood out this season. She has more assists per minute this season (.201) than all but one Golden Bear (J. Needham 94-95) has managed since 1992. After notching 69 dimes in 685 minutes of 27 games as a freshman, she already has 40 assists this season in 199 minutes of 6 games. At this pace, she will put up 180 helpers this season, which would absolutely shatter Megan Bainbridge’s KU single-season record of 148. As of December 11, Starr leads the entire PSAC in assists and assists per game. Having committed only 11 turnovers this year (1.8 per game), she is also first in assist/turnover ratio.

Points:
Let’s be honest, Starr’s number one priority is not scoring. Her job is to run the point and set up her outstanding shooters with easy scoring opportunities. We know she’s done that well, but how well is she doing when she actually does have to shoot? Well, we already mentioned she is shooting more efficiently and taking fewer shots. That has translated into an increase in points per game from 4.1 to 5.7 and an increase in points per minute from .162 to .171. So, there is not much change here, but the improvement is worth noting.

Rebounding:
Am I really going to discuss a point guard’s rebounding statistics? Yes, I am. Starr already has already hauled in 31 rebounds this year, which is exactly half of her total for 2007-08. She is averaging 5.2 total rebounds per game (.156 per minute) compared to 2.3 RPG last year (.091 per minute). Her offensive rebounds are actually slightly down, which means many of her boards are coming on the defensive glass. Again, rebounding isn’t a priority for a point guard, but hey, 5 rebounds a game are 5 possessions a game.

Minutes:
In an article I wrote a few weeks ago about Head Coach Janet Malouf (Malouf ’08: Time for Change), I mentioned Malouf’s trend of giving her players a ton of minutes in their first year, just to see them drop considerably in their sophomore season. That has not been the case with Starr. After seeing 25.4 minutes per game last season, she has seen her floor time rise to a hefty 33.2 MPG. You are probably thinking “Holy Cow, that is a lot of minutes!” You’re right it is, but there is a good reason for it. The suspension of Vanina Bonanno and the injuries to Vivian Melvin and Lara Dellegrotti have left Starr and Wisemiller as the only healthy true 1-2 guards on the roster. Expect Starr’s minutes to drop under the 30 minute mark once Melvin and Dellegrotti return.

Other Notes:
Starr is also doing several of the little things better in her sophomore campaign. She is averaging one foul every 3 games this year after committing 1.6 fouls per game last season. Her free throw percentage is up from 67% to 75%. Finally, she is snatching 1.3 steals a game after averaging 0.7 last year.

In conclusion, is this enough evidence to anoint Meredith Starr as one of the PSAC’s best point guards? Probably not. Is it enough evidence to show that she has improved from last season and is a player who can effectively run the point for the Golden Bears over the next three years? Yes, it probably is. My only disclaimer here, is that KU has played what some would call “easy” opponents and Starr will need to prove herself once the PSAC games start in a few weeks. The moment she begins putting up 6 points, 5 boards, 8 assists, 1 foul, and 2 turnovers in 34 minutes against teams like West Chester, Millersville, and Shippensburg is the moment we can anoint her Saint Starr. I like the sound of that.

A look ahead: 2008-09 Women's Basketball

Here is an early look at the roster head coach Janet Malouf has assembled for the 2008-09 Women’s Basketball season.

Returning from last season:

Lara Dellegrotti – Senior Point Guard

Dellegrotti will enter her senior season as the favorite to run the point. Arguably the team’s best shooter, Dellegrotti was a team-best 41% shooter from beyond the arc and her pinpoint accuracy from long range will be counted on again in her final season. It is likely she will also see some time at shooting guard when Meredith Starr is in the game. The senior point guard has suffered through a few injuries during her KU career, but still managed to appear in 23 of the team’s 27 games last season and started in 19 of those contests. Expect her to improve her 6.6 PPG from 2007-08, which is well below her capabilities. Coach Malouf traditionally preaches a pass-first mentality to her point guards, which leaves a majority of Dellegrotti’s shots to come from long range. Of Dellegrotti’s 136 shots last season, 76 were three-pointers, 31 of which were good.

Rachel Wisemiller - Junior Shooting Guard

Wisemiller was the closest thing to the team’s “sixth man” last season, and that should make her a front runner for a spot in the starting lineup in 2008-09. Wisemiller was fourth on the team in scoring last year despite starting just three games. Arguably the team’s most efficient shooter, the junior averaged 6.8 PPG, while averaging just over 19 minutes of action a game. Her 43% shooting percentage was second to just Mercedes Van Wagner among regulars. Watch for Wisemiller to break out as one of the team’s go-to scorers in 2008-09.

Vivian Melvin – Junior Shooting Guard

Entering her third season at KU, Melvin has had quite the up-and-down career. The junior started all 26 of the team’s games her freshman year, but got the starting nod just 12 times last season after falling out of favor a bit with Coach Malouf. Melvin’s strength is to make explosive plays by driving to the net, but that strength has also been her downfall as more-and-more of her possessions have turned into turnovers. Melvin actually turned the ball over 16 less times last season, but in about 100 less minutes of action. Melvin still has a chance to make an impact in what is becoming a crowded backcourt, but she will need to turn down the turnovers and make smarter plays when she gets possession of the ball. Furthermore, she was just 3-of-21 from long range and saw a drastic drop in steals. Melvin should be better in her third year, but she will need to improve in several areas to get back her starting job.

Katie Dovey – Junior forward

A rebounding specialist, Dovey is going to be a player to watch in 2008-09. She has seen a slight increase in her minutes over her first two seasons at KU and, with the departures of forwards Mercedes Van Wagner, Molly Brown, Claire Sitarz, and Lisi Reyna, will be expected to contribute in an even larger role in the front court this season. She plays an aggressive game and is one of those players that you can tell is giving you 110% on every possession. Her 3.3 rebounds per game might not seem like much, but it was fourth best on the team last season.

Chauntelle Schroeder – Junior Center

With Van Wagner, Brown, and Sitarz out of the picture, the only remaining center from last season’s roster is the one they call “Canada”. Schroeder will be pressed hard by freshman Hannah Mertz for playing time, but the junior’s experience should give her the leg up on the starting job. That said, coach Malouf loves to start freshmen and that could be bad news for Schroeder. The junior proved she can make an impact last season when she was arguably the team’s best player on a per-minute basis. In 83 minutes of action, Schroeder scored an impressive 47 points, hauled in 30 rebounds, and shot 50% from the floor. In one game (against PSAC East powerhouse Millersville) she scored 13 points in just eight minutes of work. Where she loses favor with Malouf is in the turnover and personal foul department. Is she erratic? Yes. But, does she get the job done in the lane? Absolutely. Think Trish Dudeck, but bigger. The starting center job should be Schroeder’s to lose.

Meredith Starr – Sophomore Point Guard

I’ll admit I was a bit hard on Starr last season, but darn it, I wanted her to score on every possession so I could dig into my arsenal of “Starr” jokes. Anyways, the sophomore point guard appeared in all 27 of KU’s games, starting 22, which might seem like a ton, especially for a point guard, but that is nothing new for a Janet Malouf team. Starr played just over 25 minutes a game in her rookie season, second on the team to only Van Wagner. She proved last season that she is best utilized as a pass-first point guard. She shot just 25% from the field, but managed to dish out 69 assists. Her 60 turnovers and 43 personal fouls were a bit high and something she will improve on with experience. It is expected that Starr will see plenty of playing time at point guard in her sophomore season.

Melissa McQuade – Sophomore Forward

Someone please explain to me how McQuade [Pictured] was not the PSAC East Rookie of the Year last season? I don’t get it. Compared to the winner, West Chester’s Megan Stewart, McQuade played over 100 more minutes, scored 80 more points, hauled in over 100 more rebounds, had a better shooting percentage, hit more three pointers, and led her team in scoring. Stewart beat her in steals and assists. Big deal. Okay, now that you’re convinced McQuade is the best second year player in the PSAC East, I can begin.
McQuade will enter her sophomore season as the starting power forward and is the favorite to lead the team in both scoring and rebounding. She shot just over 40% in her rookie year, averaging 9.9 PPG, a number that is expected to improve in 2008-09. Think you can stop her inside game? No big deal. McQuade hit 32 three pointers last season and managed to shoot 34% from beyond the arc. The team plays better when the ball is in her hands and coach Malouf should be doing everything in her power to revolve the offense around her best player. McQuade has ‘First Team All-PSAC East’ written all over her and there’s no reason to expect anything less.

Newcomers this season:

Vanina Bonanno (Guard) – Vanina Bonanno. That’s fun to say. Brought in from New Jersey, Bonanno is a proven contributor (15 pts/5 rebs per game her senior season) and likely will see minutes in the backcourt this season. As put by Bergen County, New Jersey’s The Record on March 25th, 2007 following her junior year: “Bonanno is a sharpshooter who averaged 12 points per game and can score from the perimeter or drive to the basket.”

Linzie Stahl (Guard) – Stahl will work from the 2 and 3 position. She won several defensive awards during her high school career, but will need to work off some rust after missing a majority of her senior season with a torn ACL.

Cecily Scavicchio (Guard) – A high school shooting guard, Scavicchio impressed Coach Malouf earlier this fall and will be on the roster. [Pictured to the right - www.rizzoproduction.com]

Brittany LeVan (Forward) – A 1,000-point scoring center in high school, LeVan will spend her college career playing the 3 and 4 spot. Plus, I’m a fan of anyone who names her pets Diamond, Strawberry, and Champagne.

Brittany Greaves (Forward/Center) – There is playing time to be had in the front court. Greaves can shoot the ball from the perimeter and has experience playing the three position, but will play four or five for the Golden Bears.

Hannah Mertz (Center) – Another Jersey girl, Mertz played both the four and five position in high school and will be expected to make a contribution to the KU frontcourt as a freshman. At 6’1”, she will battle Schroeder for the starting center job this fall.

Subtractions:

Center Mercedes Van Wagner (Graduation)
Guard/Forward Rachel Weidensaul (Graduation)
Center Molly Brown (Graduation)
Center Claire Sitarz (Personal)
Forward Lisi Reyna (Personal)
Guard Britt Percich (transfer – DIII York College)


More and more and more to come…

Loss overshadows Senior Day

East Stroudsburg Warriors 83
Kutztown Golden Bears 72

Recap:
Despite already knowing they were eliminated from the PSAC playoff race, the women’s basketball team gave it their all in the team’s regular season finale. Unfortunately for them, playoff-bound East Stroudsburg played an outstanding game and was able to come away with the 11 point victory.

Key Stat:
838. The game was meaningless with both team’s postseason fates already set, so why not focus on some history. Mercedes Van Wagner will one day be a member of the Kutztown University Hall of Fame and she added to her already outstanding resume today. In her last game as a Golden Bear, the senior center hauled in 11 rebounds to give her 838 for her career, a new KU career record. She is also KU’s all time block leader and one of 11 ladies to score 1,000 career points.

Key Moment:
As much as I’d like to ignore the disappointing end to the season and focus on the positives, the moment of the game that really turned the tables was pretty clear. KU trailed by 20 with 9:16 left in the game before they went on an 8-0 run that stole them the game’s momentum and got them to within 12 with 7:00 to play. Right when it seemed like the Golden Bears were about to wheel in the Warriors, a timeout was called. It is officially listed as a media timeout, but the referee appeared to gesture as though KU coach Janet Malouf called for it. Regardless of who called it, the timeout proved to be costly as ESU came out of the timeout strong with a 5-0 run that put the game away for good.

Golden Performance:
As mentioned, Van Wagner was stellar, hauling in 11 rebounds. She also scored 12 points, which marks yet another double-double, one of dozens in her successful career at KU. Van Wagner was 6-of-6 from the free throw line and also recorded a steal and block. She will be missed.

Not-So-Golden Performance:
No one on KU played a particularly poor game, so there aren’t many negatives to point out in that regard. The most disappointing thing about the game to me was the fact that Molly Brown played just 8 minutes. Playing in her final game, the senior center managed 3 boards and 4 points on 1-of-4 shooting. It was unfortunate that coach Malouf didn’t allow her more minutes, especially since it was a meaningless game. Brown struggled with injuries throughout her four-year career and never saw consistent minutes because of that. However, she stuck with it and has done a decent job off the bench for KU when she has been healthy. It was really upsetting to me to not see her play more than 8 minutes. Even though they are both centers, Van Wagner and Brown certainly could’ve played at the same time, similar to how they did last year.

Impact:
ESU will head off to Millersville for the playoffs, while the Golden Bears will begin planning for 2008-09. KU will lose Mercedes Van Wagner, Rachel Weidensaul, and Molly Brown to graduation, so they will need to find a way to replace that size. Rachel Wisemiller will likely step into the starting lineup for Weidensaul and Coach Malouf apparently has at least two freshman forwards set to step into significant playing time. Chauntelle Schroeder and Claire Sitarz will also be expected to step into significant minutes in the front court in an attempt to replace the production of Van Wagner. KU will return 3 starters in Meredith Starr, Lara Dellegrotti, and Melissa McQuade. McQuade was superb as a freshman and will be expected to be the top scoring threat for KU in 2008-09. Dellegrotti will enter her senior season looking to carry the torch in the back court and will be counted on to distribute the basketball and hit three point buckets. Starr did a decent job handling the ball as a freshman and will need to improve in her sophomore campaign. Wisemiller, Melvin, and Dovey will also likely be big parts of the KU rotation next year.

The Golden Bears finish the season with an 11-16 overall record. They went 4-8 in the PSAC East, the worst divisional mark put up by a Janet Malouf team since her arrival in 1994-95. In Malouf’s first eight years at KU, her team’s posted a 64-32 record against PSAC East opponents. Since that point, KU has gone 32-40 over her last six years.

Ladies look for revenge against ESU

What: East Stroudsburg Warriors @ Kutztown Golden Bears
When: Saturday, March 1, 2008 @ 1 p.m.
Where: Keystone Hall on the campus of Kutztown University

When the Kutztown Golden Bears face off with the East Stroudsburg Warriors on Saturday, it will be a meaningless game with both teams’ postseason fates already determined…or will it?

KU will be taking on the team that barely beat them out for this season’s fourth and final PSAC East playoff spot. The Warriors (5-6) beat Mansfield on Wednesday night, which clinched them the fourth seed, thus eliminating the Golden Bears (4-7). KU could try to exact some revenge on Saturday afternoon.

The Golden Bears enter the game 11-15 overall this season and will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season. KU is coming off a 72-59 loss at Cheyney (7-5) this past Saturday and has lost five of its last seven games. This will be the team’s season finale.

The Warriors, meanwhile, will be looking to build some momentum for their first round playoff bout with Millersville (11-0). ESU cannot improve it’s standing in the division, but will likely not back down with a tough challenge ahead of them the following Tuesday. The Warriors are coming off Wednesday’s 64-44 shellacking of Mansfield, but have lost six of their last nine games.

The teams first met this season on Feb. 2 with ESU defending its home court by a score of 67-59. Melissa McQuade carried the KU offense with 20 points and 11 boards. ESU had three scorers reach double-digits, with Kristen Murray scoring 17, Jackie Yandrisevits notching 15, and Monika Fogelsanger dropping 11.

Probable Starters:

East Stroudsburg:
F- # 45 – Monika Fogelsanger
G- #11 – Keri Cahill
G- #20 – Mel Villano
G- # 32 – DeAnna Rayam
G- # 43 – Jackie Yandrisevits

Kutztown:
C- # 53 – Mercedes Van Wagner
F- # 23 – Melissa McQuade
F- # 15 – Rachel Weidensaul
G- # 13 – Meredith Starr
G- # 5 – Lara Dellegrotti

Scouting Report:

The Golden Bears have failed to play consistent basketball down the stretch, thus costing them an opportunity to play postseason basketball. They will look to find some of that consistency and to build for the 2008-09 season in this game.

The seniors (Van Wagner, Weidensaul, Molly Brown) will likely see significant action with the team already eliminated. With that said, don’t expect KU to lay back and let the Warriors run all over them. The Golden Bears should be motivated to knock off the team who beat them out for the final playoff spot. KU has the talent to do it, starting in the frontcourt.

The Warriors will see a lot of Van Wagner and McQuade, both who have double-double potential in the paint. If they struggle, Coach Janet Malouf will look to leading scorer Weidensaul or to guards Lara Dellegrotti and Rachel Wisemiller, who has been stellar as of late.

Meanwhile, the ESU front court is not so shabby, with Fogelsanger and Yandrisevits working the inside. Yandrisevits generally leads the team in scoring, but this is far from a one woman team. Murray, Fogelsanger, and Rayam each average over 8.5 points per game and any one of them can go off for 20 at any given time.

The Golden Bears will have their hands full on both ends off the court, much like the first meeting, but KU does have similar (if not more) talent than the Warriors and could easy take care of business in their season finale.

Prediction:

The games that don’t really mean anything are the hardest ones to predict. Will KU come out motivated to knock off bitter rival ESU? Or will they come out downtrodden and unmotivated after being eliminated from the playoff picture?

Personally, I can’t see it going over too well with the seniors on this team if they fall in their last game at Kutztown. Expect Van Wagner to be as motivated as ever with nothing to lose in her final game. Only one of 11 1,000 point scorers in school history, she has been a treat to watch for the last four years and isn’t about to disappoint with the end of the line in plain view.

McQuade, Wisemiller, Brown, and Weidensaul (yes, in that order) will all add in enough scoring to lead KU to a slim season finale victory.

East Stroudsburg 61
Kutztown 62

Ladies look for revenge at Cheyney

What: Kutztown Golden Bears @ Cheyney Wolves
When: Saturday, February 23, 2008 @ 1 p.m.
Where: Cope Hall on the campus of Cheyney University

The Golden Bears head into Saturday’s matchup with Cheyney in need of a victory if they hope to qualify for the PSAC playoffs. KU is 4-6 in the division and currently trails East Stroudsburg by one-half game for the final playoff spot (See Playoff Picture).

The Golden Bears have won two of their last three games, but are coming off Wednesday’s 13 point loss to division-leading Millersville (9-0).

The Wolves have already clinched a postseason berth, meaning this season will mark their first trip to the playoffs since the 1989-90 season. Cheyney is 6-4 in the division and is playing for an opportunity to host a first round playoff game. The Wolves are coming off a game in which they were shellacked by West Chester 84-52.

These teams last met on Feb. 2, with Cheyney making an improbable comeback in the second half to upset KU by a score of 77-66. The Golden Bears led throughout that game, by double-digits at most points, but collapsed in the final minutes and scored just 2 points in the overtime period.

Probable Starters:
Kutztown:
C- # 53 – Mercedes Van Wagner
F- # 23 – Melissa McQuade
F- # 15 – Rachel Weidensaul
G- # 13 – Meredith Starr
G- # 5 – Lara Dellegrotti

Cheyney:
F- # 15 – Angel Stephens
F- # 32 – Stephanie Orgi
F- # 21 – Lillian Penn
G- # 24 – Ashley Blake
G- # 20 – Danielle Jones

Scouting Report:
The Golden Bears will enter this game looking to continue their gameplan of moving the ball all over creation until they find someone open for a shot. This offensive style has been successful as of late and has resulted in a conference leading 164 assists during divisional play.

The problem with KU’s offensive attack has been a lack of consistency. One player will step up and have a big couple of games and then disappear for the next few. If Coach Malouf can get consistent play from her core of talented athletes, KU can contend with anyone, even Millersville. Sure the Golden Bears were swept by the Marauders this season, but it was episodes of epic collapses during parts of those games that were the difference. At one point or another this season, KU has outplayed every divisional opponent.

Melissa McQuade was outstanding in the team’s first meeting with the Wolves. She had a double-double, scoring 14 points and hauling in 17 rebounds. Three other Golden Bears reached double digits, but KU turned the ball over a whopping 35 times.

The Golden Bears will look to McQuade, as well as, Mercedes Van Wagner to carry the load in this game. Both have been playing better and better as the season goes on and they will need to step up against a respectable front court.

In the last meeting, the three other double-digit scorers for KU were guards (Wisemiller, Melvin, Starr). If the Cheyney defense collapses on the KU frontcourt on Saturday, the guards will once again be relied on to hit jump shots.

As for the KU defense, they will be looking to their front court to shut down the efforts of forwards Angel Stephens (16 points and 14 rebounds in the first meeting) and Stephanie Orgi (12 points, 8 rebounds). Meanwhile, the guards will have their hands full with Danielle Jones, who led all scorers with 18 points in the first meeting and leads Cheyney in scoring.

Prediction:
The Golden Bears had this game won in the last meeting, and there is no reason to doubt them this time around. This team has collapsed late in games on several occasions, but the one against Cheyney was the worst of them and unlikely to be repeated. As for the Wolves, they were on a roll, but they were just smoked by West Chester and you have to believe that experience will play a factor down the stretch. Cheyney is already in the playoffs and KU is more talented with more to play for. It will be tough on the road, but the Golden Bears will pull it out in the end.

Kutztown 67
Cheyney 61

Ladies look to upset East-leading Marauders

What: Kutztown Golden Bears @ Millersville Marauders
When: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 @ 6 p.m.
Where: Puscillo Gymnasium on the campus of Millersville University

The Golden Bears have quite the challenge on their plates as they prepare to head to Millersville on Wednesday evening. Kutztown (11-13, 4-5) is coming off back-to-back wins for the first time since December, but will be going up against the PSAC East-leading Millersville (19-4, 8-0).

The Golden Bears currently hold the fourth and final playoff spot in the PSAC East. They trail Cheyney (6-3) by two full games for the three seed and lead East Stroudsburg (3-5) by one-half game for that final playoff spot.

The Marauders have already clinched a PSAC East playoff berth and are winners of nine straight games including a 65-40 beatdown of KU on Jan. 23 at Keystone Hall.

Both teams struggled out of the gate offensively in that game, with MU taking just a 24-19 advantage at the half. The Marauders exploded in the second half, however, outscoring KU 41-21. Jenna Craig and Gladine St. Julien dominated KU’s frontcourt, accounting for a combined 28 points and 19 rebounds. The Golden Bears actually outshot the Marauders from the field, but turned the ball over 25 times, were outrebounded by 11, and made a telling 19 less free throws.

Probable Starters:
Millersville:
F- # 3 – Jenna Craig
F- # 22 – Gladine St. Julien
G- # 30 – Kari Cover
G- # 32 – Jenna Philo
G- # 34 – Aiesha Bellamy

Kutztown:
C- # 53 – Mercedes Van Wagner
F- # 23 – Melissa McQuade
F- # 15 – Rachel Weidensaul
G- # 13 – Meredith Starr
G- # 5 – Lara Dellegrotti

Scouting Report:
The most glaring deficiency for KU in the teams’ first meeting was the lack of a front court presence. The Golden Bears played solid defense in the first half, but fell flat on their faces in the second half, allowing Millersville’s big scorers to dictate the game. As if it wasn’t bad enough that Craig and St. Julien were winning on their offensive end, they also shut down KU’s offensive attack, holding them to a season low 40 points.

The Golden Bears will need a stellar defensive showing from front court leaders Mercedes Van Wagner and Melissa McQuade. If the Golden Bears can slow down Craig and St. Julien and find a way to score the basketball, they can contend with this team.

With that all being said, MU is far from a 2-lady team, as they’ve had five different players lead them in scoring over their last six games. Ashley Moyer, Jenna Philo, and Kari Cover are also excellent scorers who can easily pave the way to victory for the Marauders.

It won’t be easy, but KU needs to play disciplined basketball and do several things better than they have if they want to keep this close. It will start by slowing down the Marauder scoring attack and will end with protecting the basketball and finding ways to get clean looks at the net. The Golden Bears gameplan should be similar to what has been working over the last few weeks. They need to pass the ball all over the floor until someone gets a clean look. KU has worked the ball around so well that they’ve been left open for wide open three pointers on multiple occasions. A big day from beyond the arc would keep them in the game and, if they play solid defense, would be a recipe for an upset.

Prediction:
KU has some confidence following back-to-back wins, but Millersville is a powerhouse in the PSAC and will not allow a KU upset on their court. The Golden Bears have the tools to pull off the shocker, but they need to do way too many things perfect to actually win the game. For a veteran team, I’d give them more of a shot here, but coach Malouf loves playing the underclassmen and that won’t change on Wednesday. The ladies will fall behind early and won’t be able to overcome the tough Puscillo Gymnasium environment.

Kutztown 53
Millersville 68

Ladies continue playoff push against Huskies

What: Bloomsburg Huskies @ Kutztown Golden Bears
When: Saturday, February 16, 2008 @ 1 p.m.
Where: Keystone Hall on the campus of Kutztown University

The Golden Bears head into Saturday’s contest with the Bloomsburg Huskies knowing that a loss would result in devastating consequences with regards to their playoff hopes. Just off a convincing win at Mansfield on Wednesday, KU currently sits in fifth place in the PSAC East at 3-5. The Golden Bears trail Millersville (7-0), West Chester (5-2), Cheyney (5-3), and East Stroudsburg (3-4) for one of the four divisional playoff spots.

Meanwhile, the Huskies are in a similar situation. They sit just behind KU with a record of 2-6 and need this win to creep back into playoff contention. BU is coming off a game in which they were smoked 72-50 at Millersville on Wednesday.

These teams last met in Bloomsburg on Jan. 26 with the Golden Bears coming away with a convincing 71-52 victory. KU shot an impressive 49 percent in that game and were led by a 20 point day from leading scorer Rachel Weidensaul. 11 Golden Bears scored in a game in which KU outrebounded the Huskies 44-25.

Probable Starters:

Bloomsburg:
C- # 25 – Colleen Kegerreis
F- # 31 – Monica Dennison
F- # 20 – Kelly Joyce
G- # 21 – Lauren Healy
G- # 22 – Stephanie Jones

Kutztown:
C- # 53 – Mercedes Van Wagner
F- # 23 – Melissa McQuade
F- # 15 – Rachel Weidensaul
G- # 13 – Meredith Starr
G- # 5 – Lara Dellegrotti

Scouting Report:

The Golden Bears should have no trouble in this game, but that does not mean Bloomsburg is short on players who can help them to an upset. In the first meeting, center Colleen Kegerreis played the entire game, scoring a team-high 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Kegerreis the team’s clear best player and is one rebound per game short of averaging a double double on the season. KU will be looking to it’s inside game to try and shut her down, with Mercedes Van Wagner and Claire Sitarz likely to see much of the time defending her. Lauren Healy scored just 5 points in that first game, but averages just over 11 points per game this season.

Coach Malouf is likely to continue her trend of going with the hot hands and running a pass first offense. KU has been playing better on the offensive end lately and much of that credit goes to an improved passing game. The Golden Bears lead the PSAC in assists in conference play and that has been a product off them focusing on passing the ball all over the court until someone has a clear lane to the net. That is likely to continue on Saturday, as KU will be looking to build some offensive momentum for a tough road game against Millersville next Wednesday.

The Golden Bears cannot afford to lay back and let the Huskies dictate this game. KU needs to come out strong and put this game out of reach as soon as possible to give BU no hope for an upset. If the Huskies build some confidence in the first half, there is no reason to believe they can pull off the win in the second half.

Prediction:

Expect KU to come out and play well. The players know they need to win this game to keep their playoff hopes alive and they won’t allow a letdown. Coming off a throttling of Mansfield, the Golden Bears will have a big first half before coasting through the second frame to back to back PSAC East wins.

If Weidensaul plays well early, look for her to score near 20 points again. If not, expect Melissa McQuade and Mercedes Van Wagner to carry the scoring load for KU.

Bloomsburg 55
Kutztown 70

Mansfield no match for Van Wagner, Golden Bears

Kutztown Golden Bears 63
Mansfield Mountaineers 49

Recap: The Golden Bears erased a three game losing streak by taking care of business in Mansfield on Wednesday evening. KU allowed the Mounties to keep the game close early on, leading by only two at the half, but the ladies pulled away early in the second frame fueled by a 9-0 run. Four Golden Bears scored in double figures with Melissa McQuade leading the way with 13. Lara Dellegrotti and Katie Dovey (pictured) added 12, while Mercedes Van Wagner scored 11.

Telling Stat: The Golden Bears were on fire, outshooting the Mounties by 20 percent on the evening. KU shot 47 percent from the floor, while Mansfield hit just 27 percent of their shots. That margin was the clear difference in the game. Also of note was a 2-of-9 shooting day from MU’s leading scorer, Alicia Espigh. The PSAC leader in three pointers made was held without an attempt from beyond the arc and scored just 8 points, four of which came from the free throw line.

Key moment: As mentioned, this game was tight throughout the first 22 minutes, but KU was able to pull ahead early in the second half. Up two points with 17:55 to play, KU recorded a 9-0 run which was fueled by a Dellegrotti three pointer, back to back buckets by McQuade and Dovey, and a three point play by Van Wagner.

Most Valuable Golden Bear: For the second time in as many tries this season, Van Wagner notched a double-double against the Mountaineers. Last evening, the senior scored 11 points and hauled in a game-high 14 boards. She was 4-of-6 from the floor, 3-of-3 from the charity stripe, and had 4 blocks. As mentioned in my preview for this game, Van Wagner should be relied on if KU hopes to climb back into the playoff race. She certainly did the job last night against the Mounties.

Least Valuable Golden Bear: I hate to give out this award following a win, but there is always someone who had a rough day. Last evening it was freshman Meredith Starr, who has struggled during divisional play. Starr was 0-of-3 from the floor, recording 0 points, 1 assist, and 1 turnover in 14 minutes of work. The freshman has now failed to hit a field goal in three straight games, shooting 0-of-12 from the floor for a total of 3 points. In that time, coach Malouf has allowed her a mind-blowing average playing time of 25 minutes per game.

Impact: The game was a must win for KU and they certainly came through. The Golden Bears are now 3-5 in the PSAC East, which is still not quite enough to put them in one of the top 4 playoff spots. They have Bloomsburg next before taking on Millersville, Cheyney, and East Stroudsburg. Bloomsburg should be an easy win, while Millersville won’t be an easy task. Fortunately for KU, they get to play CU and ESU, the two teams just ahead of them for the final playoff spot, in the season’s final two games. Wins in both, and possibly one, of those games would send them to the postseason.

Ladies look to 'Mountie' a comeback

What: Kutztown Golden Bears @ Mansfield University
When: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 @ 5:30 p.m.
Where: Decker Gymnasium on the campus of Mansfield University

The KU women’s basketball team will head to Mansfield this Wednesday for a game that certainly has playoff implications for both squads. The Mounties sit at 1-6 and are bringing up the rear in the PSAC East, while the Golden Bears are just one game ahead of them at 2-5. A KU loss would all but extinguish their playoff hopes, as they would need a lot of help from the divisions other teams if they hoped to sneak back in. Kutztown is 9-13 overall this season.

The Golden Bears are coming off Saturday’s 67-65 home loss against West Chester. It was their third straight loss and fifth of their last six games. KU led in the late stages of each of their last three games, but mistakes down the stretch allowed their opponents to take charge and steal the wins. The Golden Bears divisional wins have been over Mansfield and Bloomsburg, while losses were to West Chester (twice), Cheyney, Millersville, and East Stroudsburg.

The Mountaineers head into Wednesday’s affair coming off a game in which they were manhandled by division-leading Millersville by a score of 62-39. Mansfield is 6-16 overall this season and has lost 8 of its last 9 games.

These teams last met on Jan. 16 at Keystone Hall. The Golden Bears came away with the 59-51 win, but the Mounties led for much of the day. KU trailed by 8 at the half, but quickly erased that deficit in the second half thanks in part to an 18 point, 13 rebound day from Mercedes Van Wagner. The Golden Bears turned the ball over just 9 times in that game, but a 33 percent shooting day allowed the Mounties to keep it close.

Probable Starters:
Mansfield:
C- #35 – Merissa Gaeta
F- #24 – Emily Akins
F- #25 – Alicia Espigh
G- #34 – Clarissa Correll
G- #10 – Jeanette Meacham

Kutztown:
C- # 53 – Mercedes Van Wagner
F- # 23 – Melissa McQuade
F- # 15 – Rachel Weidensaul
G- # 13 – Meredith Starr
G- # 5 – Lara Dellegrotti

Scouting Report:

Much like KU, Mansfield does not showcase one or two superstars and often has a different leading scorer from game to game. With that being said, the focal point of the Golden Bears game plan will be focusing in on Alicia Espigh and Clarissa Correll, both double digit scorers. Correll is a machine in the steals and assists category, while Espigh averages just under 14 points a game and is a 48 percent shooter. Jeanette Meacham (9.5 PPG) and Courtney Brooks (8.9 PPG) should not be overlooked. Brooks returned to action on Saturday against Millersville after missing 9 straight games.

The Golden Bears have had there problems shooting the ball this season, but looked much better against West Chester. If KU shoots how they did against the Golden Rams, they should roll over the Mounties. If they struggle with the shooting game, it will be a crapshoot similar to the first meeting. The Golden Bears must focus on continuing to move the ball around on offense in order to find ways to get the ball inside to top scorers McQuade and Van Wagner. Van Wagner is ten times the player when she gets the ball on the block rather than when she is forced to make a play from the top of the key. McQuade can shoot from anywhere, but coach Malouf must find more ways to take advantage of her exceptional ability to maneuver in the lane, especially in the second half.

Prediction: The Golden Bears will win this game. They took care of business against the Mounties at home earlier this season and they know they are the superior team in this case. KU should have won their last three games and late game implosions were the only thing that is keeping them from a 5-2 record as opposed to 2-5. There is no reason to believe this team cannot recover and make the PSAC playoffs. It will start Wednesday with a pounding of the struggling Lady Mounties.

Kutztown 450
Mansfield 12

Haha! You thought I was serious. As nice as that would be, here is the real prediction:

Kutztown 71
Mansfield 54

Another collapse overshadows 1,000 for Benz

West Chester Golden Rams 67
Kutztown Golden Bears 65

Recap: The Golden Bears blew another game that they lead throughout the day, allowing their opponent to erase a second half deficit for the third straight contest. The collapse put a damper on the performance of Mercedes Van Wagner who led all scorers with 24 points, which included the 1,000 point of her career. KU, who led by as many as 10 in the first half, went with a different look for much of the game, with Katie Dovey, Rachel Wisemiller, and Vivian Melvin replacing Mercedes Van Wagner, Rachel Weidensaul, and Lara Dellegrotti in the starting lineup. Van Wagner saw regular minutes, while Dellegrotti played just 10 minutes and leading-scorer Weidensaul sat out the entire first half before playing over half of the second. The removal of the three stars from the starting lineup was reportedly due to late arrival at the arena.

Telling Stat: The Golden Rams stole the ball 15 times, which accounting for a majority of the Golden Bears’ 22 turnovers. KU didn’t do an awful job protecting the ball, but the aggressiveness and speed of the Golden Rams allowed them to make the big plays when it counted most.

Key play: With KU up by one point with 28 seconds to play, WCU’s Natalie Winters missed a three pointer that was rebounded by Meredith Starr. This should have significantly improved KU’s chance of winning the game, but the freshman didn’t know what to do with the ball and couldn’t find a teammate to dish the ball to. Megan Stewart stepped in, ripped the ball out of her hands, and laid the ball in for an easy bucket, which gave the Rams the lead and, in turn, the win.

Most Valuable Golden Bear: Van Wagner was the star of the day, but how about rarely-used sophomore Chauntelle Schroeder. She stepped into the game with Melissa McQuade in foul trouble and made her presence felt in only 2 minutes of work. Schroeder was 2-of-3 from the floor for 5 points, hauled in 3 rebounds, and recorded a steal.

Least Valuable Golden Bear: Vivian Melvin has had her problems throughout the past few weeks, but Saturday was certainly one of her worst efforts. The sophomore was 1-of-6 from the floor, notching just two points in an astounding 33 minutes of work. Melvin turned the ball over 7 times, but did help the KU cause with 2 steals and 4 assists.

Impact: This loss is probably more devastating mentally than actually. Kutztown is certainly still in the PSAC playoff race, but I’m not sure how the players can continue to bounce back after falling apart down the stretch game after game. If the Golden Bears can manage to win 3-4 of their final 6 games, they should be playoff bound. Currently they sit at 2-5, one-and-one-half game back of East Stroudsburg (3-3) for the fourth and final PSAC East playoff spot.

Ladies look to recover against rival Golden Rams

What: West Chester University @ Kutztown Golden Bears
When: Saturday, February 9, 2008 @ 1 p.m.
Where: Keystone Hall on the campus of Kutztown University

The KU women’s basketball team will head into this Saturday’s bout with West Chester in need of a big win. The Golden Bears (9-12, 2-4) have lost two straight and are currently on the outside looking in at the PSAC East playoff picture. KU opened divisional play with a win over Mansfield, but has since won just one of its five games, including two recent heartbreaking losses against Cheyney and East Stroudsburg.

West Chester (12-8, 4-2), meanwhile, is coming off a 73-63 loss to division-leading Millersville, but the Golden Rams have already knocked KU off once this season.

Back on Jan. 19, the Golden Bears headed to West Chester looking to improve to 2-0 in the division. The Rams had KU’s number, however, and handled them relatively easy by a score of 68-56. Rachel Weidensaul had a huge day for the Golden Bears, dropping a career-high 23 points, but it was not enough for the win.

An upset by KU would put them right back in the thick of things in the playoff race, while a loss would but them in an even deeper hole.

Probable Starters:

West Chester:
F- # 25 – Janelle Garber
F- # 13 – Megan Stewart
G- # 12 – Dana Weems
G- #10 – Lindsay Weller
G- # 23 – Catherine Andrews

Kutztown:
C- # 53 – Mercedes Van Wagner
F- # 23 – Melissa McQuade
F- # 15 – Rachel Weidensaul
G- # 13 – Meredith Starr
G- # 5 – Lara Dellegrotti

Scouting Report:
Despite a season-ending injury to their best player, Katie Kline, West Chester has been able to keep up in the highly competitive PSAC East. The last time these two teams met, four Golden Rams scored in the double digits, leading WCU to the convincing win.

The Golden Bears will need to win the one-on-one matchups if they want to earn the victory this time around on their home floor. KU was out-rebounded 48-41 and allowed the Rams to shoot over 40 percent in the first meeting. Also of note was KU’s 3-of-12 performance from the free throw line in that game.

KU will need to focus there attention on Dana Weems. Weems has been the go-to scorer for the Golden Rams as of late, leading them in scoring in 5 of their last 7 games. She scored 12 points and grabbed 12 boards in the first meeting.

Weidensaul was sensational the first time around, but she had little help. Melissa McQuade has been the majority scorer as of late for KU, but, again, she has done most of the scoring by herself. The Golden Bears will need to spread the ball around and get production from all of their scorers, particularly Weidensaul, McQuade, Van Wagner, and Dellegrotti.

Prediction:
As much as I’d like to pick KU to pull off the upset, they’ve given me little to work worth to make that case. The Golden Bears have had a hard time finishing games and, unless adjustments are made, there is little reason to believe that will change on Saturday. KU will stay close in the first half, but the Golden Rams, clearly the better team in the first meeting, will pull out the win down the stretch. Expect Weidensaul and Van Wagner to provide a bulk of the scoring, but it won’t be enough.

WCU 69
KUTZTOWN 61

Late game woes continue for Lady Bears

Kutztown Golden Bears 59
East Stroudsburg Warriors 67

Recap: The Golden Bears kept it close throughout the game, but were unable to make plays in the final minutes, allowing the Warriors to escape with an eight point win. KU has had serious problems closing out games this season, especially as of late, and has come up on the short end of 4 of the last 5 games.

Telling Stat: The Warriors had nine steals and forced 22 KU turnovers. The Golden Bears continue to have their problems protecting the ball and this was yet another example of a game the KU likely would’ve won had they not committed so many turnovers.

Key play: The Golden Bears led by one with just over four minutes left to play, but allowed the Warriors to score the next 9 points. The run was capped off by pairs of free throws off the hands of Kristen Murray and DeAnna Rayam, which sealed the deal. Melissa McQuade (pictured) answered with a three-pointer, but it was too little, too late as there was just 34 seconds left to play. The Warriors would add three more free throws to cap the win.

Most Valuable Golden Bear: For the second consecutive game, Melissa McQuade was the best player on the floor for KU. The freshman was 8-of-18 from the floor for 20 points, 15 in the first half, and also hauled in 11 rebounds. She was 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and registered 2 blocks. McQuade played 37 minutes after seeing 45 minutes of work against Cheyney. Coach Malouf has not been afraid of overworking the freshman, despite the fact that McQuade’s scoring numbers have dropped in the second half.

Least Valuable Golden Bear: Meredith Starr was 0-for-6 from the floor and scored just 1 point despite 27 minutes of work. She did have 5 assists, but turned the ball over 4 times. Fellow starting guard Lara Dellegrotti was not much better, hitting just 2 of her 11 shots for 5 points.

Impact: This was the second consecutive game in which KU had an opportunity to solidify its place as a serious contender for a PSAC playoff berth. In both games, the Golden Bears came up short. Now at 2-4 through one round of inter-divisional play, KU will need to win at least 3 and possibly 4 of their final games if they hope to be playoff bound. As we speak, the ladies are tied with Bloomsburg for fifth place in the East. They trail Cheyney and ESU by 1 game, who currently own the third and fourth postseason bids.

Lady Bears, Warriors bout for final playoff spot

What: Kutztown Golden Bears @ East Stroudsburg Warriors
When: Wednesday, February 6, 2008 @ 6 p.m.
Where: Koehler Fieldhouse on the campus of East Stroudsburg University

The KU women’s basketball team will be heading to East Stroudsburg tomorrow evening to take on the East Stroudsburg Warriors in a clash of two PSAC East playoff contenders.

Both teams come into the game with divisional records of 2-3 and are tied for the fourth and final playoff spot in the competitive eastern division.

KU, 9-11 overall this season, is coming off Wednesday’s heartbreaking loss to the Cheyney Wolves, generally an automatic two wins in the division. With losses to the three teams currently ahead of them in the divisional standings, KU needs to beat ESU to remain in line for a playoff berth.

ESU, meanwhile, is 8-11 overall this season and coming off a 72-64 loss to division-leading Millersville. The Warriors kicked off PSAC East play by defeating Cheyney and Bloomsburg, but have since dropped three straight to West Chester, Mansfield, and the aforementioned Millersville Marauders.

These teams have quite a history together, particularly over the past two seasons, so it should come as no surprise that there is something on the line this time around. During the 2005-06 season, KU lost by just one point at ESU in the final game of regular season, which allowed the Warriors to claim the PSAC East title. Just four days later, the Golden Bears returned to ESU for the PSAC playoffs where they upset the top-seeded Warriors 55-50.

Last season, the Warriors got there revenge, defeating KU twice, including a 72-48 ass-kicking in the last game of the regular season, officially eliminating the Golden Bears from playoff contention. It was the first time KU missed the playoffs in 12 years.

Probable Starters:
ESU:
F- # 45 – Monika Fogelsanger
G- #11 – Keri Cahill
G- #20 – Mel Villano
G- # 32 – DeAnna Rayam
G- # 43 – Jackie Yandrisevits

Kutztown:
C- # 53 – Mercedes Van Wagner (pictured above)
F- # 23 – Melissa McQuade
F- # 15 – Rachel Weidensaul
G- # 13 – Meredith Starr
G- # 5 – Lara Dellegrotti

Scouting Report:

KU’s success will hinge on its ability to stop Yandrisevits. The junior guard is averaging just over 15 points and 6 rebounds a game this season for ESU. If she has a big day, KU could be in trouble. The Golden Bears are generally an outstanding defensive team, but the Warriors come in with a relatively deep team. Unlike the game against Cheyney, the KU defense will be unable to rely on forcing the Warriors to shoot mid range jumpers and three pointers. ESU is expected to start 4 guards and, despite an average team shooting percentage, open looks from the three point arc could result in a field day for the Warriors.

The Golden Bears will have the size advantage in this game and must use it to their advantage. McQuade, Weidensaul and Van Wagner each need to find ways to score in the lane. Coach Malouf may be tempted to counter ESU with an extra guard on the floor, but KU should try to slow down the game and win by dominating the front court.

Prediction:

If the Cheyney game was a must win for KU, this one is a must-must win. The Golden Bears will fall out of the driver’s seat for a PSAC playoff berth with a loss, forcing them to play catch-up the rest of the season with tough road games at Mansfield, Millersville, and Cheyney on tap. With that said, expect KU to come out as motivated as ever. Van Wagner will have a big day inside, scoring near 20 points and notching a double-double. McQuade will be able to get to the net and will also hit double digits in scoring. KU will contain, but not stop Yandrisevits. ESU will struggle to score, as is usually the case for KU opponents, and despite turning the ball over 10 more times than the Warriors, the Golden Bears will sneak away with a close win.

ESU 59
KUTZTOWN 61

Lady Bears blow big lead, fall hard to Cheyney

Cheyney Wolves 77
Kutztown Golden Bears 66

Recap: Despite leading by double digits throughout a majority of the game, the Golden Bears (9-11, 2-3) collapsed in the final minutes, allowing Cheyney (6-13, 3-3) to erase the deficit and steal the victory in overtime.

Telling Stat: Despite shooting almost 64 percent in the first half and just under 41 percent in the second half, the Golden Bears made just one of their 12 shots in overtime. Coupled with 42 points allowed on 35 turnovers, it’s no wonder they failed to hold on for the win. Cheyney also registered a whopping 22 offensive rebounds.

Key play: Cheyney’s Stephanie Orgi hit what, at the time, seemed like a meaningless three point bucket from just across half court as time expired in the first half. The acrobatic play cut the Wolves’ deficit to 10 at the half and, without those three points, they would’ve been three points short of forcing overtime.

Most Valuable Golden Bear: Freshman forward Melissa McQuade played all 45 minutes of the game and was responsible for much of the team’s first half scoring success. McQuade was three assists away from a triple-double, scoring 14 points, grabbing 17 rebounds, and dishing out 7 assists.

Least Valuable Golden Bear: Despite an outstanding gameplan early in the game (using a tight zone defense to force Cheyney to resort to jump shots), head coach Janet Malouf failed to adjust in the second half and in overtime. Cheyney eventually broke down the KU defense and completely shut down the Golden Bear offense in overtime. Malouf’s biggest mistake was wearing down McQuade by leaving the freshman on the court for the entire game, an exhausting 45 minutes. Another costly mistake was not allowing leading-scorer Rachel Weidensaul more than 19 minutes of work. Weidensaul had her problems from the floor, shooting just 1-of-6 and committing 4 turnovers. However, she provided 4 assists, a block, and a steal. Had she played more in the second half and overtime, KU had a much better chance of winning the game.

Impact: Cheyney’s first win over KU in its last 33 tries was a big one as it allows the Wolves to leapfrog the Golden Bears for the three seed in the race for the PSAC playoffs. KU falls to a tie with Wednesday’s opponent, ESU, for the fourth and final postseason berth.

Since this "Superbowl" thing is starting soon, I will hold off on the men's recap until Monday. Until then, boo Eli Manning.

Clay Rating System determines top 10 women since 2003

I plugged the women's basketball statistics from the last 5 years (including this season as of 1/31/08) into my player rating formula in order to determine the best 10 single season performances. Only ladies who played significant minutes are included. Enjoy.

1. Danielle Warntz (2003-04) 44.3
2. Rachel Weidensaul (2007-08) 44.0
3. Amanda Zinobile (2003-04) 40.3
4. Melissa McQuade (2007-08) 37.7
5. Lara Dellegrotti (2005-06) 36.6
6. Monique Boykins (2005-06) 34.8
7. Mercedes Van Wagner (2004-05) 34.8
8. Trish Dudeck (2005-06) 34.2
9. Trish McElmoyle (2005-06) 33.7
10. Jessica Brady (2004-05) 33.5

Wait…Cheyney beat who?

What: Women’s Basketball Action: Cheyney Wolves vs. Kutztown Golden Bears
When: Saturday February 2, 2008
Where: Kutztown’s Keystone Hall

The Cheyney Lady Wolves are in town this weekend. Typically that means and easy win for Kutztown, but that is far from the case in 2008.

Despite a 1-9 start to what seemed like the same old dismal season, the Wolves have now won four of eight games and are sitting at 2-3 in the division, one-half game behind KU for the fourth and final PSAC playoff spot. One of their two wins was over perennial Eastern conference powerhouse West Chester, who was fresh off a 68-56 shellacking of KU. On Wednesday they fell to division-leading Millersville by just 5 points.

The win over WCU proves that Cheyney is for real this year and will be no pushover for the Golden Bears. This, of course, is despite the fact that KU has beat them 29 straight times. KU won last seasons matchups by scores of 73-64 and 64-53.

Cheyney is led by senior guard Danielle Jones and sophomore forward Stephanie ‘is this safe to say on the air’ Orgi. Jones leads the team in scoring with 10.1 PPG and is an 85% free throw shooter. Orji is the inside presence for the Wolves, averaging 7.7 PPG, while leading the team in steals (50), and blocks (20).

Other likely starters for Cheyney include senior forward Lillian Penn (7.8 PPG), sophomore forward Angel Stephens (47.3 FG%, 7.6 RPG), and senior guard Ashley Blake (36 assists).

Cheyney has won games by making strides in the paint. The Wolves lead the PSAC in conference play in steals and offensive rebounding. KU will need to counter with a big day from senior center Mercedes Van Wagner if they hope to make it 30 straight wins.

Van Wagner has been inconsistent this season, but is generally a forced to be reckoned with when divisional play kicks off. With that said, following back-to-back double doubles against Mansfield and West Chester, she has been held to 3-of-14 shooting for a total of 10 points and 7 rebounds in the last two games. Without a bounce back by Van Wagner, KU will have issues in the paint.

KU will lean heavily on senior guard Rachel Weidnesaul. She has been on a tear as of late, scoring at least 20 points in three straight games. She currently leads the PSAC East in inter-divisional play scoring.

Joining Van Wagner on the list of players who need a big rebound game is freshman forward Melissa McQuade. The rookie has had her share of consistency issues, but when she is in the zone, she is hard to stop. Following 4 straight double-digit scoring days, McQuade has stumbled to a combined 11 points over the last 3 games.

Freshman guard Meredith Starr and junior guard Lara Dellegrotti will fill out KU’s starting lineup. Starr has done a respectable job handling the ball and filling the role of an assist-happy point guard. Dellegrotti has had another injury-plagued season, but can light up the scoreboard when she gets opportunities to shoot.

Key off the bench will be playmaker Vivian Melvin and consistent contributor Rachel Wisemiller. Coach Janet Malouf will also look to either Claire Sitarz or Molly Brown to relieve Van Wagner at center, while Katie Dovey and Lisi Reyna could also see some work at small/power forward.

In summary, KU will need to be sharp, especially early on, against a rejuvenated and confident Cheyney team. A loss here could be devastating to the Lady Bears playoff chances, where as a win would push them to 3-2 and into the driver’s seat for a chance to play in March.

Prediction:

Kutztown is coming off a solid win against a poor Bloomsburg team and will come out sharp, frustrating a confident, but less talented Cheyney team. KU’s stifling defense will force too many poor shots by the Wolves and KU will sneak away with a 7 point win.

Kutztown 61, Cheyney 54.

Sitarz, Dovey shine in Clay Rating System

I’ve been developing my own rating system for basketball players and I’ve spent quite a bit of time applying it to the KU women’s teams from the last few years. It does rival the Hollinger Player Index, but my formula takes a few more things into consideration. Unfortunately for me, stats like plus/minus are not available for division II basketball, so my progress will be limited.

With that said, I’ve developed a formula that focuses on per-minute production. The big pro to such a method is that it places players who play significant minutes on an even playing field with those who play in limited action. The obvious con here, however, is that a player who comes out and grabs 3 boards and scores 6 points in 5 minutes of mop up work will have a significantly inflated score. The only cure for that is to manually weed out the players who rarely play in key situations. If you’ve seen a few games, this is easy to do.

Here are the ratings for the 2007-08 Lady Bears as of January 30, 2008.

1. Weidensaul 33.3
2. Sitarz 30.3
3. McQuade 29.6
4. Van Wagner 26.3
5. Dovey 26.0
6. Wisemiller 22.7
7. Dellegrotti 19.6
8. Melvin 16.2
9. Schroeder 14.6
10. Reyna 14.0
11. Starr 12.0
12. Brown 7.8
13. Percich 5.1
14. Petriello -9.9

The only two players I would consider to have inflated ratings would be Schroeder and Petriello. Schroeder has seen little action and Petriello is no longer on the team.

If you’ve seen a few games, you are probably not surprised to see names like Weidensaul and McQuade at the top of this list. However, names such as Sitarz (pictured)and Dovey might be shocking. Neither of them sees significant action, but both make quite an impact when they do. Sitarz has scored, rebounded, and caused problems for opposing offenses in the lane. Dovey might be the most fearless player on the KU roster and is an absolute machine on the boards.

So, now you’re probably thinking: Are you saying Sitarz should be seeing more minutes than everyone except Weidensaul? Not necessarily. As coach Malouf was quick to point out when we discussed this type of formula, it fails to take into consideration intangibles such as hustle, discipline, consistency, awareness, etc. Sure the production is there, but this formula is not perfect. Watching a team practice or play a game every day might be enough to evaluate talent for some. This rating system is meant to be used as a tool to help support what you might already know and maybe bring to light something you may have been missing.

What does the formula mean to me? Well, the reason I even decided to formulate it was because I noticed the impact Sitarz and Dovey were making despite limited work. In my opinion, both need to see more action. Van Wagner and McQuade block them from significant minutes, but it can’t hurt to give them extra rest when you have playmakers riding the bench.

As you might imagine, there will be plenty more on this topic later. Comment below.