Men’s Basketball Travels to No. 5 Kutztown for PSAC Tournament Quarterfinal
KUTZTOWN, Pa. - West Chester University travels to No. 5 Kutztown for the quarterfinal of the 2017 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Wednesday evening. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside Keystone Arena. Tickets to Wednesday's quarterfinal playoff game are: Adult - $10, Student age - $5, Free admission for students from member institutions with valid school ID. PSAC passes are accepted. If you can't make it to Kutztown, the game can be heard on live online at www.wche1520.com. Mike Samsel will call all the action for you. Video and video will be provided by Kutztown. All three links are listed above. West Chester (14-14, 11-11 PSAC) has been playing its best basketball as of late, going 5-2 in its last seven matchups. A player who has come on strong the second half of the season is sophomore forward Jackson Hyland. The sophomore has recorded double-figures in 12 consecutive games, including three straight double-doubles. The Golden Rams are coming off a first-round upset over host Bloomsburg on Monday, 84-77. West Chester's Zach Bare scored six points during an 8-0 run that pushed the Golden Rams' lead to double digits, 74-64, with four minutes to play. That gave the visitor's the breathing room that they needed to get out of Nelson Field House with the win. Kutztown (24-2, 20-2 PSAC) is coming off a bye as the No. 1 seed after clinching the PSAC East title outright. Additionally, they swept the Golden Rams 2-0 in the regular season series. West Chester most recently played the Golden Bears last Saturday, dropping a 91-85 decision in the regular-season finale. In that matchup, Hyland registered a career-best 34 points and 14 rebounds. It was a one-possession game with 1:09 to go (86-83 Kutztown). However, West Chester could not capitalize down the stretch. There are five players averaging double-figures for head coach Damien Blair. Leading the way is sophomore, Malik Jackson who is slated fifth in the conference at 19.3 points per game. Right behind him is Tyrell Long, who is producing a double-double per contest with 18.2 points and 10.1 rebounds. Trailing those two players are Hyland (13.3), Bare (11.7), and point guard Matt Penecale at 10.4 points and 5.2 dishes per game. West Chester is 2-1 all-time against Kutztown in the PSAC Tournament. The most recent PSAC postseason matchup occurred in 2015, when the Golden Bears edged West Chester by a final score of 90-79. However, the Golden Rams have won the last two playoff encounters with the Golden Bears (1999 and 2003). These two did face off in the first round of the NCAA Tournament a season ago with Kutztown getting the best of West Chester in that one, 76-63. A West Chester win tonight would advance the Golden Rams to the PSAC Final Four, which would be held this weekend out west. It will be hosted by the highest remaining seed in the PSAC West after the second round of play tonight. 2017 PSAC Tournament Wednesday, March 1 - Quarterfinals No. 5 East WCU at No. 1 East Kutztown, 7 p.m. No. 4 West Mercyhurst at No. 1 West IUP, 7:30 p.m. No. 3 East ESU at No. 2 East Shippensburg, 7:30 p.m. No. 3 West UPJ at No. 2 West Gannon, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 4 - Semifinals (Highest remaining West Seed hosts) Semifinal 1 will be at 1 p.m. Semifinal 2 will be at 3:30 p.m. (highest remaining west seed) Sunday, March 5 - Final Winner of SF1 vs. Winner of SF2, 3 p.m. Notes: West Chester is 16-18 all-time in the PSAC Tournament and 8-5 under head coach Damien Blair… West Chester currently holds a 9-8 record in the quarterfinals of the PSAC Tournament. PSAC Tournament Record against KU: 1999 PSAC Tournament, 75-60 (W) 2003 PSAC Tournament, 74-66 (W) 2015 PSAC Tournament, 90-79 (L)
