West Chester University men’s basketball team (18-3, 14-3 PSAC East) had a light slate this week, playing only one road game against Bloomsburg University (13-8, 11-6) on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
WCU, who trumped the Huskies 81-76 in a hotly contested matchup back in December, was powered by Malik Jackson’s 22 points, which included four made three-pointers.
Avery Brown chipped in with 12 points and snagged down five rebounds, while forward Matt Wiseley dropped 10 points and corralled seven boards.
Matt Penecale was the lead assist man with six helpers. Mike Thomas and Thomas White both scored 11 points, with the latter grabbing eight rebounds.
The Golden Rams exerted their will on the offensive end, shooting 53 percent from the field, including a blistery 45.8 percent from downtown.
WCU nailed eleven threes, as Mike Wilson and Brown combined to drill five treys.
West Chester’s bench did an excellent job of not only sustaining the lead, but also increasing it, which is extremely important in basketball as second units can tilt the game in a major way.
WCU won the battle in the trenches as well, outscoring the Huskies 30-24 in the paint.
The victory was of a special variety, as WCU bested Bloomsburg for the entire duration of the game, marking a wire-to-wire victory.
Bloomsburg shot a putrid 32.8 percent from the field for the game, including only seven made field goals in the first half.
The Huskies turned the ball over four times in the first half, which is an omen for losing basketball. Having three less turnovers than made baskets is a recipe for disaster.
West Chester held a 33-point lead, their largest of the contest, with 15:11 left in the second half.
WCU has five games remaining on their campaign, set to take on East Stroudsburg, Mansfield, and Cheyney Universities in their next three games.
Mansfield and Cheyney are both home contests, and the Golden Rams will close out their season with a two-game road slate against Millersville University and Kutztown University.
The contest between West Chester and East Stroudsburg, which takes place on Wednesday, Feb. 10, will be crucial for both teams.
East Stroudsburg dominated the Golden Rams in the teams’ first meeting this season, 87-60 at Hollinger Field House. East Stroudsburg is right in the mix with both West Chester and Kutztown for the top tier spots in the PSAC.
West Chester will need to play its best brand of basketball if they wish to turn the tables on the Warriors this time around.
B.J. Boyer is a third-year student. He can be reached at WB806695@wcupa.edu.