Basketball (Men's) | 1/23/2015 5:16:00 PM
CLARION, Pa. – Looking to snap a five-game losing streak and stay in the hunt for a PSAC playoff berth, the Clarion University men's basketball team will host No. 25 IUP at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
The Golden Eagles (6-10 overall, 4-9 PSAC West) are just two games back of Pitt-Johnstown for the sixth and final playoff spot awarded to the PSAC West with eight conference games left including a trip by the Mountain Cats into Tippin Gym at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
IUP (16-3, 10-3) is in a tie for second place in the PSAC West just a ½ game back of PSAC West leader Mercyhurst going into Saturday's action.
The game can be heard live locally on 91.7 FM, WCUC, as well as on the internet
here. Live stats are available
here, and game notes can be accessed
here.
Clarion enters the game looking to get back into the rhythm it had right after New Year's when it won a pair of PSAC Crossover road games at Cheyney (98-82) and Millersville (80-78). Since then, its been a mixed bag for Clarion with close losses to Shippensburg (73-72) and Mercyhurst (69-63) at home but blowout losses on the road at Seton Hill (79-57), Edinboro (83-60) as well as a 72-60 loss at Slippery Rock Wednesday night.
The Golden Eagles are a balanced bunch with four players averaging in double digits led by
Kyheim Hall's 12.8 points per game, which ranks 28
th in the PSAC. Hall is also second in the conference and 14 in NCAA Division II in steals per game with 2.7 while adding 6.5 rebounds per contest and recording a team-high five double-doubles including a 25-point, 10-rebound night Wednesday.
Darius Stevens (12.4 ppg),
BJ Andrews (10.6 ppg) and
Brandon Williams (10.0 ppg) also score in double figures for Clarion.
IUP has won eight of nine with the lone loss being a 75-71 road defeat at Slippery Rock a week ago. The Crimson Hawks are coming off an 88-73 win over Pitt-Johnstown in Indiana Wednesday.
The Hawks also have four players averaging in double digits led by Devante Chance's 15.2 points per game, which ranks 10
th in the PSAC. Brandon Norfleet adds 12.3 pppg, Shawn Dyer 11.9 and Daddy Ugbede 11.4.
