SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Both the Susquehanna University men’s and women’s basketball teams enter the second halves of their respective MAC Commonwealth Conference schedules in good playoff position following important conference home wins Saturday.
With the men tied for second and the women third, and each presently having the tiebreaking edge, they will begin second half play with a tough week — playing important conference games at Messiah Wednesday and Widener Saturday. The men also hosted current MAC Freedom Conference co-leader Scranton Monday.
The men took an 11-4 record into Monday’s Scranton game — giving them little time to celebrate Saturday’s 60-58 upset of Albright — the number-one ranked team in last week’s NCAA Division III Middle Atlantic Region poll and undefeated leader in the MAC Commonwealth Conference prior to Saturday. Honorable Mention in last week’s region poll, Susquehanna has already surpassed its win total for all of last season (9-14) after winning seven of its last eight games. The Crusaders moved into a three-way tie for second in the MAC Commonwealth Conference at 5-2 with Saturday’s win, joining Lebanon Valley and Widener. Going into the second half of conference play, the Crusaders have the tiebreaking edge by virtue of the lone win over the Commonwealth leader in Albright. Eleventh-year head coach Frank Marcinek has the best winning percentage in program history at .586 (157-111), and has his squad off to its second 11-4 start in three seasons.
While Messiah is just 7-8 overall, 2-5 and tied for fifth in the Commonwealth Conference under fourth-year coach Dave Manzer (36-51, .414), the Falcons have always been tough to beat on their home floor. After leading just 31-28 at the half, the Crusaders eventually routed Messiah, 86-60, in Selinsgrove in their December 1 first meeting.
Ranked third in last week’s regional poll, Widener is now 12-3 overall, 5-2 and tied with the Crusaders for second in the conference under second-year coach Dave Duda (26-14, .650). The Pioneers built a 25-point lead, and then had to hold on for the 73-65 win at Susquehanna on December 4.
The Crusader women nearly had a perfect last week, going 2-1 with their only loss being a 95-88 overtime thriller at Juniata last Wednesday. Susquehanna squandered an eight-point lead in the final two minutes of regulation in that loss and have had a tough time maintaining leads late in their past five games. Nonetheless, the Crusaders are 10-5 overall, 4-3 and part of a three-way tie for third in the MAC Commonwealth Conference with Juniata and Lebanon Valley. Head coach Mark Hribar is the winningest basketball coach in school history at 209-109 (.657), and directed the team to its 13th-straight season of 10 wins or more in his tenure. As they start the second half, Susquehanna has the current tiebreaker advantage with a split against the other teams tied, but the only win against Commonwealth leader Messiah — 83-80 in Selinsgrove on November 30.
Messiah will be ready for the rematch Wednesday in Grantham as the Falcons have gone 10-2 since their Susquehanna loss — now sporting a record of 12-4 overall, 6-1 and tied for first in the conference for 13th-year coach Mike Miller (169-133, .558).
Widener won at Susquehanna, 72-65, on December 4, but that was Susquehanna’s first game after losing star center and senior tri-captain Karyn Kern (26.2 ppg, 13.2 rpg) (Brodheadsville/Pleasant Valley H.S.) to a season-ending knee injury. The Pioneers have gone just 3-7 since that win and are now 8-8 overall, 3-4 in the conference for 15th-year head coach Maureen Gorman (121-225, .350). Susquehanna has dropped two of its last three games at Widener’s Schwartz Center.
THE MEN’S REPORT
Sophomore small forward Corey Green (Roselle, N.J./Roselle Catholic H.S.) led the team in its two wins last week — averaging 18.5 points and 6.5 rebounds to pick up the WQSU-FM Crusader Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. He is second on the team in both scoring (11.6 ppg) and rebounding (7.1 per game). After not making a three-pointer in the first 30 collegiate games, Green has now gone 13 of 30 (43.3%) in the last five contests.
Senior guard and co-captain Rob Makarewicz (Sugarloaf/Hazleton Area H.S.) continues to lead the squad in both scoring (16.6 ppg) and foul shooting (86.9%, 53 of 61), also topping MAC Commonwealth foul shooting. A second-team league All-Star in 1997-98, he is the team’s leading three-point shooter (28 of 76/36.8%), and has now scored in double figures in 14-straight games — only failing to hit them in the season opener. Makarewicz is third in conference treys per game (1.9), and is fifth in steals (1.7 per game).
Fellow senior co-captain and starting two-guard Garrett Thompson (6.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg) (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin East H.S.) continues to play his role as the team’s top defender equally well. He also added a big three-pointer and six points in Saturday’s win.
Junior power forward Brad Rausch (9.4 ppg) (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South H.S.) is the team’s leading rebounder, tying for fourth in the conference (7.8 per game).
In the middle, the tandem of 6-8 freshman Zigmas Kaknevicius (4.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg) (Lithuania/Long Island Lutheran H.S.) and 6-6 sophomore Stephan Schrankel (3.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg) (Holmdel, N.J./Holmdel H.S.) have been effective. The duo combined for six points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots in Saturday’s win.
Off the bench, junior guard John Green (8.9 ppg) (Reading/Governor Mifflin H.S.) has stepped up his play, averaging 10.5 points in last week’s two wins. Green had the driving layup with :05 left in regulation at Juniata to send that game to overtime. He tops the team in assists (2.7 per game).
THE WOMEN’S REPORT
Sophomore small forward Amy Harrington (Danville/Danville H.S.) had her best week at Susquehanna — averaging 22.0 points and 7.3 rebounds while surpassing her career high in scoring twice, also breaking the school record for three-pointers in a season. The effort made Harrington the team’s WQSU-FM Crusader Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks. She scored a career high 26 points while hitting a career high five three-pointers, in 13 attempts, also pulling down seven rebounds in Monday’s 71-66 non-conference win over Muhlenberg. She surpassed that career best with 28 points while going 13 of 14 from the free throw line, dishing out a career high five assists and grabbing eight rebounds, in Wednesday’s heartbreaking overtime loss at Juniata. Her three treys in that game gave her a new school season record, now with 25 of 82 (30.5%) (Old Record: 23 of 64, Kristie Maravalli, 1990-91). Harrington followed that by tying for team scoring honors with 12 points, grabbing seven rebounds, including the one she had off her own free throw miss in the closing seconds to preserve that win.
Six-foot-one junior center and tri-captain Leslie Clementoni (Hughesville/Hughesville H.S.) has also continued her steady play, scoring in double figures for a 13th-straight game while posting her fourth double-double since replacing Kern on Saturday. Clementoni had 12 points and a game high 12 boards vs. Albright, scoring 20 in the loss at Juniata, as she averaged 14.7 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 48.6 percent from the field (17 of 35) and 90.9 percent from the line (10 of 11). The team’s leading rebounder (7.8 per game), Clementoni is second in scoring (12.3 ppg) and climbing in foul shooting (71.4%, 45 of 63).
Senior two-guard and tri-captain Lisa Stack (8.7 ppg) (Swoyersville/Wyoming Valley West H.S.) also had a nice week — averaging 11.3 points while breaking the school record for career three-pointers with her two on Saturday, giving her 48 of 137 (Old Record: 47 of 160, Kristie Maravalli, 1989-93). Stack was 5 of 13 (38.5%) from beyond the arc last week as she hit double figures in all three games with 11 against both Muhlenberg and Juniata, and 12 vs. Albright. She continues to be the team’s most accurate three-point shooter (16 of 44, 36.4%), ranking second in free throw percentage (78.8%, 26 of 33).
Freshman swingplayer Alison Ream (4.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg) (Mifflintown/Juniata H.S.) continues to see her role expand because of her versatility, and ability to rebound against taller players. Ream had a team and career high 12 rebounds, scoring nine points at Juniata. She is shooting 78.6 percent (22 of 28) for the year.
