In the team’s first action in Hollinger Field House since its flooding, the Golden Rams saw themselves go down 11 points early in the first half. But, the team responded with poise and found themselves with a six-point lead going into halftime.
Senior guard Tyrell Long took over in the second half, scoring 17 points on seven-for-seven shooting after a one-of-five first half.
Long finished with 26 points on eight-of-13 (62 percent) shooting.
Junior swingman Jackson Hyland also scored 26 points in the game. He connected on all three of his attempts from beyond the arc, and finished the day with an efficient nine-of-14 (64 percent) shooting mark.
These strong performances and the team’s gritty defense were enough to secure the win. By the two-minute mark they were cruising with a 19-point lead. The home team won by a final score of 93-78.
As a team the Golden Rams are looking strong. Four of their six wins have come by ten or more points. They are currently 3-0 in PSAC play and are tied with East Stroudsburg for first place in the PSAC East.
The team isn’t letting their early success go to their heads. They have lofty goals and Long made that clear.
“Our goal is to get better every day and compete for the PSAC and National Championship,” Long said.
Long is the only senior on the team and he is embracing his leadership role. On pioneering this group, Long says: “Specifically, I make sure guys know the defensive and offensive sets, and pushing my guys in practice, and just being a big brother when they come to me with any questions.”
The team will once again put their winning streak on the line Sunday, when the 5-3 Griffins of Seton Hill University visit Hollinger Field House for the Golden Rams’ second straight PSAC clash.
Quaadree Harris is a fourth-year student majoring in communication studies. They can be reached at QH859675@wcupa.edu.