College Basketball

GOLDEN EAGLES TO HOST LOCK HAVEN

Clarion University’s men’s and women’s basketball teams will look to get back on the winning track when they host Lock Haven in PSAC-West action Wednesday at Tippin Gym. The women’s game is set for 6 p.m. followed by the men’s game at 8 p.m.

Despite a 74-65 loss at IUP Saturday, Clarion’s women’s team has won four of its past five games to even its record at 8-8 on the season. The Golden Eagles are off to a 2-1 start in the PSAC-West for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

Lock Haven, meanwhile, enters the game 6-9 overall and 0-2 in the PSAC-West. The Bald Eagles are coming off a 68-51 loss to California at home Saturday.

Clarion is led by the third leading scorer in the PSAC, Christina Lantz, who is averaging 16.4 ppg. Lantz is also the 14^th leading rebounder in the conference averaging 8.1 rpg, which puts her second on the team to freshman forward Heather Cigich, who is seventh in the conference in rebounding with 9.2 rpg.

Cigich, who was named the PSAC-West Rookie of the Week for the second straight week and for the third time this season, is also second on the team and 20^th in the conference in scoring averaging 12.5 ppg. She has recorded a team-high eight double–doubles this season with the last one coming at IUP Saturday when she had 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Both Lantz and Cigich are outstanding shooters as well, with Lantz shooting 56.4% on the season and Cigich 51.4%. Cigich is also very good from the free-throw line connecting on 82.8% (53-64) of her charity shots.

Four other Golden Eagles are averaging 8.0 ppg or more this season including Courtney Willman (8.9 ppg), Allison Stodart (8.7 ppg), Tiffany Taylor (8.7 ppg) and Tameka Washington (8.2 ppg). Willman is third on the team with 5.6 rpg, while Stodart is the team leader with 35 three-pointers and is shooting 36.8% from beyond the arc. Taylor is the leading assist giver with 55 (3.4 apg) and is second on the team with an 81.5% free-throw percentage (44-54). Washington does a little of everything for Clarion and is adding 3.7 rpg to go along with 35 assists and 20 steals.

Lock Haven is led by Amy Daniels who is averaging 13.3 ppg and 5.7 rpg, while Cyndi Crowl is adding 10.7 ppg. Three other Bald Eagles are scoring 5.0 ppg or more including Anita Charles (6.4 ppg & 5.6 rpg), Holly Young (6.3 ppg & 4.6 rpg) and Nicole Schimelfenig (5.9 ppg).

Last season Clarion swept the season series from Lock Haven winning 73-62 at Lock Haven and 62-57 at Clarion. Lock Haven, which has lost three in a row to Clarion, last beat the Golden Eagles 69-61 Jan. 19, 2000, at Tippin Gym

Clarion’s men’s basketball team will be looking to put a halt to a three-game losing skid when it entertains the Bald Eagles Wednesday.

Clarion, which is 7-7 overall and 1-2 in the PSAC-West, is coming off an 87-75 loss at New Haven Monday night. The Golden Eagles also fell 72-67 at IUP Saturday and 76-62 to Edinboro last Wednesday. Before the loss at Edinboro, Clarion had won three straight games and four of its past five.

Lock Haven enters the game with a record of 5-11 overall and 1-1 in the PSAC-West. The Bald Eagles have won two of their past four games after dropping six in a row but are coming off a tough 70-65 loss at home to California.

Clarion comes into the game led by a balanced attack that features four players averaging in double figures and five players scoring 8.0 ppg or more.

Steve Serwatka, the third leading scorer in the PSAC (18.7 ppg), leads the way for the Golden Eagles. Serwatka has hit a team-high 39 three-pointers and is also shooting 90.7% (39-43) from the free-throw line.

Allen Stevens, is adding 14.3 ppg and 6.5 rpg, for Clarion, who is also getting 12.1 ppg & 4.8 apg from Rollie Smith. Smith is second in the conference in assists per game.

Dale Thomas is chipping in with 10.9 ppg and 7.8 rpg, good for ninth in the PSAC, for the Golden Eagles, while David Shearer is adding 8.2 ppg and 4.7 rpg.

Derek Rankin has added a spark off the bench for Clarion scoring 4.4 ppg.

Lock Haven enters the game led by Kris Holtzer, the 12^th leading scorer in the PSAC (15.4 ppg), while Vladimir Zujovic, who is a junior from Belgrade, Serbia, is adding 14.4 ppg & 5.6 rpg. George Bailey is chipping in with 13.6 ppg & a team-high 6.1 rpg. Holtzer is also averaging 4.0 apg. Brian Hanna is also contributing for the Bald Eagles scoring 6.7 ppg.

Clarion and Lock Haven split the season series last year both winning at home. Lock Haven won 79-66 in the first meeting between the team’s in 2000-01, while Clarion got revenge with an 88-68 win at Tippin Gym. Lock Haven’s win last season was its first against Clarion since 1995-96. The Golden Eagles have won nine of the past 10 games against the Bald Eagles.

GOLDEN EAGLE NOTES: Both games can be heard on WCUC-FM (91.7) in Clarion and on the Internet at www.redzonemedia.com ... ... Clarion’s men’s team is trying to avoid its first four-game losing streak since the 1995-96 team lost five in a row ... The three-game slide is the longest for the Golden Eagles since the end of the 1998-99 season ... Both of Clarion’s team’s are back in action next Wednesday when they travel to Slippery Rock.