No Place Like Home

SELINSGROVE, Pa. — After playing three games apiece on the road over the last two weeks, the Susquehanna University men’s and women’s basketball teams return to O.W. Houts Gymnasium this week for a pair of games to close out action before winter break.

Both squads will host Moravian College in a Commonwealth Conference doubleheader on Wednesday night, while the men will square off with Baptist Bible College on Friday at 7:30 and the women will battle defending MAC champion Allentown College on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.

Following this week’s games against Moravian, the Crusaders will not return to Commonwealth Conference play until Tuesday and Wednesday, January 9 and 10 when Lebanon Valley visits Houts Gymnasium for women’s and men’s games, respectively.

THE MEN’S REPORT

The Crusaders dropped their first two games of the year last week as Messiah ran past Susquehanna 90-70 on Wednesday and nationally-ranked Widener held off the long-range attack of the Crusaders for a 71-62 triumph on Saturday.

Susquehanna shot a season-high 50.9 percent against Messiah but were beaten on the boards by a margin of 34 to 23. Furthermore, the Falcons scorched the nets to the tune of 56.9 percent from the field and committed just eight turnovers in the win.

On Saturday, the Crusaders drained 12 three-pointers and withstood several Pioneer runs to keep the game tight into the final minutes, but Widener used big second halves from Mike Siuchta and Frank DeLuca to pull out the victory.

As usual, it is the three-point attack that is leading the way for the Crusaders, as the team is shooting a sizzling 41.1 percent (39-for-95) from behind the arc. Susquehanna made a season-high 12 “threes” at Widener and has made at least 10 three-pointers in three of the five games this season.

The Starters

SG Mike Witcoskie (Senior, Annville, Pa./Palmyra H.S.) — Witcoskie is averaging 15.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game this season, and is shooting 46.3 percent from behind the arc (19-for-41). Over the last four games, Witcoskie has made 19 three-pointers in 37 attempts (51.4 percent), including six triples against Widener which ties his season high. He has scored in double figures in each of the last four games.

PG Nick Griffiths (Freshman, Shamokin, Pa./Shamokin Area H.S.) — Griffiths has averaged 16.0 points per game since moving into the starting lineup for the third game of the year at York College. He drained 6-of-9 shots from the field at Messiah and connected for 11 points in the loss at Widener. Griffiths is among the Commonwealth Conference leaders in three-point percentage at 48.0 percent (12-for-25), and is shooting 55.0 percent overall.

PF Brad Rausch (Senior, Middletown, N.J./Middletown South H.S.) — After being held to a season-low two rebounds at Messiah, Rausch pulled seven boards (all defensive) at Widener to move his season average to 7.6 rebounds per game (second on the team). Rausch is also tied for the team lead in steals with six and is one of three players on the squad to grab at least 10 rebounds in two games this year.

SF Corey Green (Junior, Roselle, N.J./Roselle Catholic H.S.) — Green is the only Crusader to score in double figures in every game this year, and he leads the team both in scoring at 16.8 points per game and in rebounding at 8.0 boards per contest. Green posted his second double-double of the year at Widener with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and he is shooting 34.8 percent from behind the three-point line (8-for-23).

C Zigmas Kaknevicius (Sophomore, Bethpage, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran H.S.) — Kaknevicius scored six points and blocked three shots at Messiah, and followed with his second double-double of the season with 12 points and a career-high 11 rebounds at Widener. Kaknevicius leads the team in shooting at 61.3 percent from the field (19-for-31), and he is one of the team’s top free-throw shooters at 80 percent (12-for-15). Kaknevicius has recorded six of the Crusaders’ 11 blocks this season.

Off the Bench

Sophomore Tim Hurd (Montvale, N.J./Pascack Hills H.S.) set career highs at Messiah with eight points and four rebounds in 20 minutes of action. Despite playing just 14.6 minutes per game, Hurd is second on the team in free-throw attempts with 21. Sophomore Jose Arrieta (Susquehanna, Pa./Susquehanna Community H.S.) is averaging 2.6 points and 2.0 boards while playing in 9.4 minutes per game.

THE WOMEN’S REPORT

After suffering their worst loss since the 1997-98 season at Messiah on Wednesday night by a score of 89-59, the Crusaders got off to a slow start at Widener as they trailed by 12 points late in the first half. However, Susquehanna outscored the Pioneers 47-14 over the next 20 minutes to take control and breeze to a 65-54 win.

Even after being outrebounded 32 to 30 at Messiah, the Crusaders still average 11 more rebounds per game than the opposition, holding a spread of 48.2 to 37.2 per game. However, the big key for Susquehanna has been the ability to get to the free-throw line. The Crusaders shoot 24.4 free throws per game, as compared to 18.6 for the opposition.

The Starters

SG Alison Ream (Sophomore, Mifflintown, Pa./Juniata H.S.) — Ream scored just six points in two games after averaging 11.3 points through the first three games. However, she did grab a season-high seven rebounds at Widener and is fourth on the team in both scoring (8.0 ppg) and rebounding (4.6 rpg).

PG Susan Trella (Senior, Allentown, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) — Trella broke loose against Widener as she scored eight points, including a clutch three-pointer early in the second half, after having tallied just 11 points in the first four games. Despite being the shortest player on the squad at 5-3, Trella has managed to pull five rebounds in each of the last two games.

PF Leslie Clementoni (Senior, Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville H.S.) — Clementoni is back in the form that saw her earn Commonwealth Conference first-team All-Star honors last year after scoring 14 points and grabbing 13 rebounds against Widener. In addition, she made her first career three-pointer at Widener in her 72nd game in orange and maroon. Clementoni is now third on the team in scoring at 9.6 points per game and is second at 8.2 rebounds.

SF Amy Harrington (Junior, Danville, Pa./Danville H.S.) — Harrington has found baskets tough to come by in recent games, as she tallied just three points at Messiah and nine at Widener. Harrington did hit a three-pointer in each game and has made at least one triple in all five contests this season. She also leads the team in steals with 11 thefts in five games.

C Karyn Kern (Senior, Brodheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley H.S.) — The two-time Commonwealth Conference player of the week tallied her third double-double of the year and the 45th of her career at Widener with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Kern leads the Crusaders in field goal percentage (51.7 percent), rebounding (10.2 per game), blocked shots (six) and scoring average (15.8 ppg).

Off the Bench

Sophomore guard Emily Kurtz (St. Marys, Pa./St. Marys H.S.) tallied six points at Messiah and is shooting 83.3 percent from the free-throw line. Freshman guard Ashley Donmoyer (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove H.S.) racked up 11 points in just 11 minutes at Widener and is averaging 4.8 points per contest, including six three-pointers. Sophomore forward Kait Gillis (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Trinity H.S.) scored a career-best five points at Widener.

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