A quick preview of this weekend’s final cross-over games:
Friday, January 6
Bloomsburg (9-2, 5-1 PSAC East) at Gannon (6-4, 4-2 PSAC West): Huskies already have key road wins at Indiana (Pa.) and California (Pa.), while Gannon coming off a double overtime loss to Seton Hill on a buzzer-beater. Should be interesting to see if Gannon is as improved as most say they are.
Mansfield (5-5, 2-4 PSAC East) at Clarion (9-3, 5-1 PSAC West): The Golden Eagles haven’t exactly played a rigorous non-conference slate and essentially have a new team this year. The Mounties are actually a buzzer-beater away from being in the basement of the PSAC East.
West Chester (6-4, 3-3 PSAC East) at Indiana (Pa.) (8-2, 5-1 PSAC West): Expect both teams to be a little rusty, though the Golden Rams probably more so after a four-week layoff. The Crimson Hawks are still the team to beat in the PSAC, Bloomsburg loss notwithstanding.
Millersville (3-7, 1-5 PSAC East) at California (Pa.) (6-6, 3-3 PSAC West): Which Vulcan team will show up at the new Convocation Center? Will it be the team that blew out CACC-leading Chestnut Hill College or the team that couldn’t hold late leads against West Georgia or Rollins? As for the Marauders? Well, they’ve beaten Lincoln … and Central Penn … and Lock Haven. Not exactly a recipe for continued success. Or any success.
Kutztown (5-5, 2-4 PSAC East) at Edinboro (6-4, 4-2 PSAC West): Say, wasn’t Kutztown supposed to be one of the teams contending in the PSAC East? Granted it’s early, but still, there’s a little concern about whether the Golden Bears will bounce back. The Fighting Scots, with a win over West Chester last month, could be a sleeper team in the West this season.
East Stroudsburg (7-5, 3-3 PSAC East) at Lock Haven (0-9, 0-6 PSAC West): The Warriors would seem to have a virtual bye, but the Bald Eagles are improving. That’s not saying much, but at least the Baldies aren’t getting clobbered like they were last year.
Cheyney (2-7, 1-5 PSAC East) at Slippery Rock (6-4, 3-3 PSAC West): It’s practically a brand new team for the Wolves, while The Rock had a nice, comfortable win over something called Ohio University-Eastern. Can Cheyney turn it around before the season gets too far out of hand?
Shippensburg (5-7, 2-4 PSAC East) at Mercyhurst (7-3, 5-1 PSAC West): Hard to gauge the Lakers without Luis Leao, who suffered an injury in a 94-93 loss to Mercyhurst on Dec. 18, 2011. Still, Hurst went 3-1 in their first four games of the season, which Leao missed. It won’t be an easy game for the Red Raiders.
Games scheduled for Saturday, January 7 (previews of these games to be posted after Friday’s games)
- Bloomsburg at Clarion
- Mansfield at Gannon
- Millersville at Indiana (Pa.)
- West Chester at California (Pa.)
- East Stroudsburg at Edinboro
- Kutztown at Lock Haven
- Shippensburg at Slippery Rock
- Cheyney at Mercyhurst
Creighton Rabs cover the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference for Examiner.com. He is neither affiliated with nor employed by the PSAC or its member institutions. Follow him on Twitter (@PSACnWCUReportr) for live coverage of Friday’s women’s/men’s doubleheader between West Chester and IUP and Saturday’s doubleheader between West Chester and CalU.
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