Women's Basketball | 3/5/2019 7:18:00 PM

 
GAME COVERAGE
• WATCH (Live Video)
• LISTEN (Live Audio)
• FOLLOW ALONG (Live Stats)

TICKET INFORMATION
• Adults: $10
• Students: $5
• Admission will be FREE for students with a valid student ID from a PSAC member institution
• There will not be a senior discount for tonight's game

GAME PREVIEWS
• Bloomsburg Game Notes (.pdf)
• West Chester Game Preview

RELATED LINKS
• Bloomsburg Huskies: Schedule | Roster | Statistics
• West Chester Golden Rams: Schedule | Roster | Statistics

THE STORY
• The Huskies return to the PSAC Tournament for the ninth consecutive season when they host West Chester in the quarterfinals Wednesday. Bloomsburg earned a share of the PSAC East regular season crown with a record of 14-6, 19-9 overall, and had a first round bye as the No. 2 seed in the East behind Kutztown. The Huskies split a pair of regular season meetings with the Golden Rams, who enter Wednesday's contest having won six of their last seven games. 

THE HISTORY: BLOOMSBURG vs. WEST CHESTER
• Bloomsburg leads the all-time series with West Chester, 41-39, including a 76-71 home win over the Golden Rams back on February 2. Emma Saxton (York, Pa./Central York) had a team-high 16 points for Bloomsburg, while Taylor Montana (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) added 15 points and nine rebounds. Zhane Snow paced West Chester with 22 points and four three-pointers. The last time Bloomsburg and West Chester met in the PSAC Tournament was back on February 27, 2017, when the Huskies defeated the Rams 79-71 in first round action.

LAST TIME OUT
• The Huskies enter the postseason on a high note after closing out the regular season with an impressive 68-63 win over Shippensburg Saturday afternoon. With the win, Bloomsburg clinched a perfect 13-0 regular season record at home, and the most wins in a season (19) since 2014-15. Alyssa Mack (Walnutport, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) led the way with 17 points and a pair of made treys, while Montana notched her fifth double-double of the season on 15 points and 14 rebounds. Bloomsburg's vaunted defense was on full display throughout the contest, limiting the Raiders to just 32.1% (17-of-53) shooting from the field, and 2-of-11 (18.2%) from three-point territory.

THE HUSKIES AT A GLANCE
• Defense has been the calling card for the Huskies this season. They rank second in the PSAC in field goal percentage defense (38.2%) and three-point defense (27.6%), and third in scoring defense (60.5). Bloomsburg is fourth in the conference in scoring margin at +5.2. West Chester has been solid defending the three-point line as well, allowing opponents to shoot just 28.4% behind the arc (4th in the PSAC).

• The Huskies have been powered by All-PSAC hopefuls Montana and Saxton throughout the regular season. Montana leads the team in scoring (12.8), rebounding (7.3), blocked shots (25), and double-doubles (5), while Saxton adds 12.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Saxton has been remarkably efficient this season, ranking second in the PSAC (23rd in Division II) in field goal percentage (56.4%). Montana ranks third in the conference in that category, shooting 53.3% from the floor this year.

• Bloomsburg will also lean on the experience of seniors Marissa Molnar (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Mack this postseason. Mack ranks 22nd on Bloomsburg's all-time scoring list (1,095 career points) and sixth in career made three-pointers (162), while Molnar has tallied 501 points, and moved into 13th place on the career three's list (103) with a triple in Saturday's win. Junior Bella Ricci (Etters, Pa./Red Land) leads the Huskies in assists (2.5) this year, while sophomores Megan Brandt (Lebanon, Pa./Northern Lebanon) and Payton Spadaccino (Ivyland, Pa./Council Rock South) were excellent on the defensive side of the ball throughout the regular season.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN RAMS
• The third seed in the PSAC East, West Chester advanced to the quarterfinals with a 77-69 first round victory over Millersville Monday night. Gabrielle Troisi recorded just the third triple-double in program history, finishing with 11 points, 15 rebounds, and a whopping 17 assists in the victory. The 17 helpers set a new school record for most assists in a game, and the most in the PSAC since 1991-92. Destiny Jefferson paced the Golden Rams with 21 points, while Madison Torresin added 19 points.

• Troisi has done it all for the Golden Rams this season, leading the team in rebounds (8.4), assists (5.6), and field goal percentage (48.2%). The junior is third on the team in scoring (10.3), and third in blocked shots with 8.

• Jefferson has been excellent in her sophomore campaign, leading West Chester in scoring (16.4), and ranking second in the PSAC in three-point percentage (36.7%). Torresin has come on strong in the second half of the season for the Golden Rams, averaging 16.3 points per contest in the 2019 calendar year.

LOOKING AHEAD
• With a win on Wednesday, Bloomsburg will advance to the PSAC Semifinals for the first time since the 2014-15 season. The Huskies would face either fourth-seeded Seton Hill, or IUP, the top seed in the Western Division. Bloomsburg would earn the right to host the semifinals and championship game with a win and a Kutztown loss. The Golden Bears host Lock Haven in the other PSAC East quarterfinals matchup Wednesday night.