With two wins this past week, West Chester has now clinched at least the number two seed in the PSAC Post-Season Tournament, and will host a playoff game on Tuesday Mar. 4. This is the Lady Rams’ second consecutive appearance in the playoffs. Last year, in the first round, West Chester lost to the Millersville University Marauders at home to end their season.The likely matchup will be against the Cheyney University Lady Wolves, who will be making their first post-season trip since the 1989-1990 season. If things fall a certain way, West Chester could host East Stroudsburg in the first round.
On Wednesday Feb. 20, the West Chester University Golden Rams (17-8, 8-2 PSAC East) avenged an early season loss to the Cheyney University Lady Wolves by winning easily, 84-52, at Hollinger Field House. The Lady Rams are now on a five game winning streak, and winners of eight of their last nine games.
After having a 33-game, 16-year winning streak snapped against the Lady Wolves on Jan. 23 at Cope Hall, things are back to normal in the West Chester-Cheyney women’s basketball rivalry.
“I feel like we’re focused,” Head Coach Deirdre Kane said of the victory over Cheyney.
“They are definitely an improved team but we knew we could beat them,” senior Captain Catherine Andrews said after the win. “Watching tape, it really motivated us to play well today. We knew we beat ourselves last time.”
“They responded like the first class, traditional winning program they are,” Cheyney Head Coach Darryl Brown said of West Chester’s ability to come out and beat his Lady Wolves. “They got a lot of pride. They lost a game, came back fighting.”
“We just knew how big a rivalry this was,” freshman point guard Megan Stewart added. “After we lost the first game, it was a big disappointment so we wanted to get redemption. To see your teammates hyped, it gets you hyped.”
West Chester only trailed by as many as two in the game, and following a three-pointer by Andrews at the 14-minute mark, the Lady Rams took the lead for good in a game that was never close.
“We are ready for every game; we don’t ever look past anybody,” Andrews said. “We really wanted to not only win today but make a statement.”
The Lady Rams finished the first half on a 31-12 run to go into the locker room with a comfortable 37-20 lead. Andrews led all scorers with 14 points at the half, while Janelle Garber recorded 11 rebounds during the half to lead all players.
“I think pressing definitely open the floor up more,” Kane said. “It wasn’t like we were sitting back in the zone letting them throw up shots, and letting them all be in the same area. They were getting some shots in transition and they missed. We focused on it the past two days. The whole team had to yell shot at practice. If the whole team didn’t yell shot every time the opponent shot they had to run. We were really focused on everyone scrambling for rebounds and not assuming somebody else had it.”
The defense held the Lady Wolves to 24.1 percent from the field, and only 22.2 percent from behind the arc.
“Pressed and mixed up the presses,” Kane said of the difference between this game and the game at Cheyney earlier in the season. “I don’t think it’s good to go in their shorts. We just used all different kind of different looks, presses.”
In the second half, West Chester didn’t look back as they outscored Cheyney 47-32. The lead got up to as many as 33 points, while Cheyney could only get as close as 16.
Unlike the game on Jan. 23 when Cheyney had 26 offensive rebounds, West Chester held them to 14 rebounds on the offensive glass during the night.
“They still rebounded the heck out of the ball, but at least they only had 14 offensive boards instead of 26,” Kane said.
West Chester committed 17 turnovers, but forced Cheyney into 30 turnovers. West Chester converted the Cheyney turnovers into 30 points.
“We still had 17 turnovers, but we forced them into 30,” Kane said. “I think that was the difference. We went after them defensively. We did to them what they did to us last time, forcing them into turnovers and getting a lot of steals, and forcing them to take rushed shots.”
Led by Dana Weems 19 points, five Lady Rams scored in double-figures: Andrews (15), Natalie Winters (12), Janelle Garber (10) and Renata Neal (10). Garber also posted another double-double as she recorded a game-high 12 rebounds.
“You always want to be playing your best basketball this time of year and-knock on wood-I feel like we are,” Kane said of the contributions of everyone on the team. “I feel like we have good role definition and acceptance of roles. To do this without Lindsay Weller too, because she is one of our better defenders, and to make this kind of statement without her is real encouraging.”
Andrews also had eight assists, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Stewart contributed with seven assists, six rebounds and three steals.
“We got into a flow early and we stayed in flow,” Kane said of the ability for Andrews and Stewart to fill out the stat sheet.
“We have good team chemistry and we’re able to see each other,” Stewart added. “No one is selfish.”
West Chester shot 61.3 percent from the field in the second half and 50.7 percent for the game. For the second consecutive game, they struggled from the free throw line shooting only 42.1 percent. Ebony Twiggs was the only Cheyney player to score in double figures as she scored a season high 12 points coming off of the bench.
The 84 points scored was the second highest output for the season (85 vs. Columbia Union), while the 32 point margin of victory was also the second highest of the season (45 vs. Lincoln).
“Maybe not by 30 points, but we definitely knew we could beat them handedly,” Andrews said of the easy victory.
On Saturday Feb. 23, the Lady Rams again showed why they are worthy of their playoff status when they defeated the Mansfield University Lady Mountaineers 82-57.
Led by Weems season-high 21 points, the Lady Rams again had four players score in double-figures: Andrews (16), Garber (13) and Winters (11).
West Chester jumped out to an early double-digit lead as they scored 13 of the first 16 points to open up the game as they never let Mansfield get close in the route.
With the playoffs right around the corner, the Lady Rams are playing their best basketball at the right time of year.
“It is real exciting,” Kane said. “It’s where we wanted to be from the beginning of the year. It’s where I think we should be. We’re looking forward to it.”
CLEARING OUT THE NOTEBOOK
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Catherine Andrews. In leading the Lady Rams to a blowout victory over Cheyney, Andrews scored 15 points while dishing out eight assists, recording five rebounds, blocking two shots and recording two steals.
UPCOMING GAMES: Heading into the final week of the season, West Chester travels to Bloomsburg on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. On Saturday in the regular season finale, the Millersville University Lady Marauders invade Hollinger Field House with their unblemished conference record in hand. This will also be senior day and “Purple Rain” Day. All West Chester fans are encouraged to wear purple to support the Lady Rams. The game can be heard live on 91.7 WCUR as Mike Heiman and Mike DeSumma bring you all the action beginning at 12:45 p.m.
WHERE THEY STAND: In the PSAC East, the Lady Rams have clinched at the least second seed heading into the playoffs.
LJ Harrell is a second-year student majoring in business. He can be reached at LH639694@wcupa.edu.