Share of PSAC East title in view for men

What: East Stroudsburg Warriors @ Kutztown Golden Bears
When: Saturday, March 1, 2008 @ 3 p.m.
Where: Keystone Hall on the campus of Kutztown University

The Golden Bears and Warriors will head into Saturday’s affair for what could be a preview of Tuesday’s playoff action. An ESU (6-5) win coupled with a Millersville (7-4) loss to West Chester (3-8) would mean that ESU will return to Keystone Hall on Tuesday for a first round playoff game. If Millersville wins or ESU falls to KU, Millersville will come to town on Tuesday, while ESU would head to Cheyney (10-2). The Golden Bears will be the number-two seed in the East regardless of what happens on Saturday, but will win a share of the PSAC East regular season title with a win. KU, ESU, CU, and MU all head into Saturday’s action with identical 18-8 overall records.

The Golden Bears enter this game fresh off a 112-96 win over Columbia Union on Wednesday at Keystone Hall. KU’s latest PSAC East action was a 79-71 upset win at Cheyney on Saturday.

The Warriors have won four straight games and 5-of-6 since falling to KU 78-56 on Feb. 6. ESU has ripped off consecutive wins against WCU, Bloomsburg, Millersville, and Mansfield, which has positioned them for a chance at the third or fourth playoff seed.

The first meeting between the two teams this season was a memorable one for KU and a forgettable one for the Warriors. The Golden Bears trailed 37-26 at the half, but stormed to 52 second half points, while holding ESU to 4-of-30 from the field, and won the game handily 78-56.

Dave Ben was 12-of-20 from the field and scored a career high 32 points. Andre Woodlin and Stephen Dennis also reached double digits with 14 and 10 points, respectively.

Channon Easley was the only Warrior in double figures, notching 12.

Probable Starters:
East Stroudsburg:
G- # 24 - Andy Heimbach
G- # 31 - Pat Fleury
F- # 25 – Channon Easley
F- # 22 - Josh Wentz
F- # 40 - Chris Bach

Kutztown:
G- # 14 – Stephen Dennis
G- # 32 - Andre Woodlin
F- # 34 - Dave Ben
F- # 52 - Ryan Washington
C- # 55 - Jeremy Coombs

Scouting Report:
The Golden Bears will look to stay motivated in this despite not technically playing for anything. Sure they can win a share of the PSAC East regular season title, but that means nothing for their playoff positioning. It’s hard to say if they should go hard for the win or lay back and rest some key players. If KU wins, they will see Millersville in the first round, but if they lose, they could see ESU. Which would you rather face? MU beat KU in their last meeting, but ESU is on a roll. Tough call.

KU will need to focus on Easley and Bach. Bach (11.7 PPG) has carried the team’s scoring load over the last month, while Easley (13.7 PPG) still leads the team in scoring. Heimbach (12.0 PPG) and Wentz (10.8 PPG) also average double figures in scoring this season.

Bach and Easley are both big men and ESU will try to feed them the ball inside. Each averages near 8 rebounds a game this season and they have combined for 98 blocks.

KU will continue to look to Dave Ben and Stephen Dennis to carry the scoring load with Andre Woodlin as a top-notch secondary option. Ryan Washington, Jeremy Coombs, and Kevin Hafera will be relied on to contain the inside presence of Easley and Bach. Nate Edwards will see significant action off the bench and will need to make a few big plays on both ends.

Prediction:
First I need to determine which KU team will come to play. The Golden Bears have played some inconsistent basketball this season, but then other times they’ve played excellent throughout the game (see Cheyney a week ago). Secondly, I need to determine if KU will be motivated to play with nothing to lose. Finally, I need to decide if ESU’s hot streak has proved that they are contenders in the PSAC or if KU is still the more talented team.

My answer to those three questions: “What’s with all the questions? Enough with the questions, Question Man!”

No, but really, it actually is hard to say.

Since that is no fun, however, I’ll make a prediction anyways. KU will come out and play a decent tune up game for the playoffs. They won’t lay back and they’ll play to win against a team that is slightly less talented. ESU will hang in there, but KU will be hungry for that share of the division title and will hold off the Warrior charge.

East Stroudsburg 63
Kutztown 73

2006-07 Women's Basketball - PER Rating

I managed to create an excel spreadsheet that I can use to find out the KU players PER. If you are not familiar with PER, it is an extremely complicated player rating system created by John Hollinger. It is widely known and used as a way to rate NBA players.
My first project was to plug in the women's basketball statistics from last season (2006-07). Here are the results:
1. Mercedes Van Wagner - 25.00
2. Jess Brady - 17.98
3. Claire Sitarz - 16.59
4. Molly Brown - 16.08
5. Amanda Jennings - 15.61
6. Rachel Wisemiller - 15.07
7. Katie Harlor - 14.33
8. Rachel Weidensaul - 13.88
9. Lara Dellegrotti - 13.54
10. Amanda Giannotti - 12.05
11. Vivian Melvin - 11.92
12. Katie Dovey - 11.52
13. Kelley Healey - 7.50
14. C. Schroeder - 4.18
15. Jenn Loprete - 4.01
16. Laura Petriello - 3.72
17. Shir Suez - 0.00

What I've learned from my formula and from PER is that size is a big factor in women's basketball. Have you noticed how centers and forwards rate convincingly better than guards? It's science my friend.

I'll continue plugging stats into PER and have some results on the men and women next week.

Be a contributor!

Want to write for Kutztown University Vital Sports?

I can't cover everything I'd like to by myself and I'm looking for some help. I'd love to cover more sports on the site, so if you have a favorite KU sport you'd want to focus on, be my guest. This invitation is extended to players, coaches, faculty, and fans.

Players and coaches are welcome to post blogs, while staff and faculty can contribute from whichever angle they would like to. Anyone who would like to report on games how I do would be invited to take on a load of the game previews and recaps.

If you are interested, drop me an email at mclay8823@yahoo.com.

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

Men's playoff picture update

Current Standings (playoff teams only):
1. Cheyney 10-2***
2. Kutztown 9-2**
3. Millersville 7-4
4. East Stroudsburg 6-5
***Clinched top seed
**Clinched first round home game

Remaining schedule:
March 1:
Bloomsburg at Mansfield
E. Stroudsburg at Kutztown
Millersville at West Chester

If KU beats ESU, Mill beats WCU
ESU (6-6) @ CU (10-2)
Mill (8-4) @ KU (10-2)

If KU beats ESU, WCU beats Mill
ESU (6-6) @ CU (10-2)
Mill (7-5) @ KU (10-2)

If ESU beats KU, Mill beats WCU
ESU (7-5) @ CU (10-2)
Mill (8-4) @ KU (9-3)

If ESU beats KU, WCU beats Mill
Mill (7-5)* @ CU (10-2)
ESU (7-5)* @ KU (9-3)
*ESU wins tiebreaker over Mill by virtue of win against Cheyney

Men's team beats CUC, clinch first round home game

The men's basketball team scored a season-high 112 points tonight en route to a 112-96 win at home against Columbia Union. Andre Woodlin dropped 22, while Dave Ben added 20.

The non-conference game means little, however, compared to the PSAC East playoff race.

In key divisional action tonight, Cheyney erased a 20 point second half deficit and knocked off Millersville 77-69 to clinch home court advantage throughout the PSAC East playoffs, should they win their first round game. The CU win means KU will host Millersville or ESU in the first round of the playoffs on March 4. The game will air on the Golden Bear Network.

KU's regular season is not over as they play their finale at home against ESU on Saturday. The Warriors are still playing for the fourth and final playoff berth in the division, but the game has no implications towards KU's playoff seeding.

ESU beats Mansfield, eliminates KU ladies

East Stroudsburg defeated Mansfield 64-44 in women's action this evening, eliminating KU from the PSAC East playoff race. The Golden Bears will face off with ESU in both team's regular season finale on Saturday at Keystone Hall. ESU will then move on to the postseason, while KU will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season.