Men's Basketball | 2/1/2019 10:11:00 AM

GAME COVERAGE
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GAME NOTES (PDF)

RELATED LINKS
• Bloomsburg: Schedule | Roster | Statistics
• West Chester: Schedule | Roster | Statistics

THE MATCHUP
• The Bloomsburg University men's basketball team looks to get back in the win column on Saturday afternoon when it entertains PSAC Eastern Division-leading West Chester University at the Nelson Field House. The Huskies have dropped six straight to fall to 5-13 overall and 2-11 in league play. All five of Bloomsburg's victories this season have come at home. The Golden Rams, meanwhile, have won 10 straight to take over sole possession of first place in the PSAC East - one game ahead of Shippensburg and East Stroudsburg.

THE SERIES
• The all-time series between West Chester and Bloomsburg is tied at 68-68. The Golden Rams evened the series with an 86-63 victory over the Huskies in West Chester back on January 12. Jackson Hyland scored 27 points for the Golden Rams to lead four players in double figures. Ky Mauras (Reading, Pa./Reading) finished with 18 and Travis Elmore (Tobyhanna, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) added 17 to pace the Huskies offensively.

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
•  Sekou Fofana (Philadelphia, Pa./West Catholic) had a game-high 23 points and grabbed six rebounds, but Bloomsburg was unable to mount a second half comeback in a 93-60 loss at Shippensburg on Wednesday night. The Huskies shot just 38.3% from the field and 18.1% from beyond the arc for the game, and were out-rebounded by the Raiders, 51-30. Fofana was the high man for Bloomsburg, going 6-of-15 from the field and 10-of-12 from the free throw line for his 23 points. Travis Elmore (Tobyhanna, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) finished with 10 points, but was limited to just 19 minutes of action due to foul trouble. Austin Harriott (Philadelphia, Pa./Hun School) finished with nine points and a team-high seven rebounds while Peyton Mortellite (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) tallied eight points in his first collegiate start.

• Bloomsburg features a pair of talented freshmen this season in Elmore and Fofana. Elmore is second on the team in scoring (14.8 ppg) and is fourth in the PSAC in field goal percentage (55.7%). He also leads the team in rebounding (7.4). Elmore reached double figures in scoring in his first 13 games this season and in 16 of his first 18 collegiate contests. Fofana, meanwhile, has been on a tear as of late and has started each of the last two games, scoring 23 points in each contest. Fofana posts 10.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game - in just an average of 19.3 minutes - and has reached double figures in scoring in nine of his last 12 games. Those figures translate to 21.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per 40 minutes. He is posting 13.8 points over his last 10 games.

• Sam Saxton (York, Pa./Central York) averages 9.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game which are both career highs. He is also second on the team with 44 assists. Nicholas King (Easton, Pa./Freedom) has rebounded from a slump to reach double figures in three of his last four games. The sophomore averaged 8.3 points over his first six games but then posted just 23 total points over the next eight contests. He is averaging 9.3 points over the last four - including three starts. Bloomsburg is also getting solid minutes from Mortellite who scored a season-high 11 points at Mansfield and was rewarded with his first career start on Wednesday night. After averaging 1.8 points over his first six games, Mortellite is averaging 6.8 points over his last five.

• The Huskies are 10th in the PSAC in scoring offense (73.4) but are last in scoring defense (86.6). Shooting and turnovers have been an issue for Bloomsburg this season as it ranks 16th in turnover margin (-4.4), 13th in field goal percentage (42.9%), and last in the PSAC in both three-point percentage (27.9%) and free throw percentage (62.3%). Bloomsburg's rebounding is 11th in the league (0.0).

• Bloomsburg has made at least one three-pointer in 226 consecutive games. The last time Bloomsburg did not make a three in a game was on December 4, 2010 in a 54-51 loss at Lock Haven when it went 0-7 from beyond the arc. The Huskies are, however, tied for 14th in the PSAC this season in triples made per game (5.4) and are last in the league in three-point percentage (27.9%). Bloomsburg has hit 10 three-pointers in a game only twice this season.

SCOUTING WEST CHESTER
• West Chester has clinched a spot in the PSAC tournament and is in the midst of a ten-game winning streak that has it sitting at 15-5 overall and 11-2 in the PSAC East. The Golden Rams have not lost since an 80-75 setback at IUP on December 18 and six of their ten wins during the streak have been by double figures. West Chester is coming off of a 70-58 win against Pitt-Johnstown on Wednesday night.

• Hyland leads the team in scoring at 17.3 points per game which is 12th in the PSAC. He chips in 5.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Malik Jackson posts 14.8 points per game and leads with 58 three-pointers. Frank Rokins leads West Chester in a number of categories including rebounds (8.4), assists (59), steals (44), and blocks (12). His 8.4 rebounds is sixth in the league. Matt Penecale, who became the school's all-time leader in career assists on Wednesday, averages 8.1 points and 3.7 assists per game. Off the bench, Evan-Eric Longino scores 11.2 points per game despite averaging only 18 minutes per contest.

• West Chester ranks third in the PSAC in scoring margin (+13.4) this season thanks, in large part, to its stingy defense.The Golden Rams lead the conference in opponent's field goal percentage (39.3%) and are fourth in scoring defense (68.7). West Chester is dominant on the glass as it leads the conference in rebounding margin (+10.0). The Golden Rams are tops in the country in offensive rebounds per game (17.6). Rokins is third in the league in offensive boards per game (3.7).

UP NEXT
• Bloomsburg will be back on the road next Wednesday, February 6, when it heads to Kutztown University for a matchup against the Golden Bears. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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