PSUGA Back in Action After Long Layoff vs. New Kensington

McKeesport, Pa. – After a little over a month long wait, the Penn State Greater Allegheny Men’s Basketball Team (8-4, 3-1) is back in action on Tuesday when they take on Penn State New Kensington (4-6, 2-3) at 7 p.m. Because of winter weather that came through the area, the men were forced to cancel their two games over the weekend causing this long layoff.

Prior to the holiday break, PSUGA was rolling having won three of their last five contests. After starting the year winning four straight games at home, head coach Tyler Care and his team had to go on the road for eight straight games as the gym was being renovated. Care and his team stayed the course despite the tough stretch going 4-4 in those games. They averaged 85 points per game and played some of their best defense of the season.

Now they return to their home court where they have been even better then on the road. In the four home games this season they are a perfect 4-0 and have scored 93 PPG, eight more then they average on the road. This home success has been a staple of the PSUGA Men’s Basketball program as since the 2011/2012 season they are 38-34 on their home court.

One of the driving forces of the offensive success that PSUGA has seen this season is Junior Jordon Payne (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport). Payne currently sits in fourth place in all of the PSUAC with 22.8 PPG and he has scored in double digits in all but one game this season. His best game of the season came against Southern State CC earlier this year where he put up 40 points and broke the single game record for 3-pointers in a game with 13.

Another PSUGA player will be looking to make history on Tuesday as Curtis Newby (Sharon, Pa./Sharon HS) comes into play with 695 career rebounds. He is just nine rebounds away from tying the PSUGA career rebounding record of 704 set by former Lion Petrie Addison who played from 2012-2015.

PSU-New Kensington comes into this game having started the new year off right with a 91-90 win over PSU-Schuylkill. They put up 46 first half points in the contest and, despite being outscored in the second half, held on for the victory. New Kensington features a high-powered offense that is led by Dorian Broadwater’s 25.3 PPG. Broadwater is currently second in all of the PSUAC in PPG and was one of five players to finish in double digits against Schuylkill.

PSUGA has had a slight advantage over PSU-New Kensington with an all-time record of 5-4 since the 2011/2012 season. PSUGA has won the matchup each of the last two seasons including an 88-72 win a season ago. George Prota (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) shined in that game scoring a team high 21 points and collecting 10 rebounds.

Tip-off for Tuesday night’s game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Also, be sure to bring a non-perishable food item to the game to help support our PSUGA Athletics Canned Food Drive. We are collecting non-perishable food items throughout the month of January for our on-campus food pantry to help fight food insecurity on our campus.