PSUGA Looks to Continue to Climb PSUAC Ladder vs. New Ken
The PSUGA Men's Basketball Team looks to keep moving up in the PSUAC when they face off with PSU-New Kensington on Friday. PSUGA has gotten great contributions form Payne and McMunn and look to continue their offensive success.
McKeesport, Pa. – The Penn State Greater Allegheny Men’s Basketball Team (11-6, 7-3) looks to continue to climb the ladder in the PSUAC when they match up with Penn State New Kensington (4-12, 2-9) on Friday night. It will be the final road game of the regular season for PSUGA before they finish the year with five straight home games.
After a disappointing loss to Penn State Mont Alto last Friday, PSUGA came out firing on all cylinders when they beat PSU-York the next day 102-75. It was a big day offensively for Jordan Payne (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) who put up 38 points in the contest falling just four points shy of the single game record. Payne is currently third in the PSUAC in PPG and fifth in the entire USCAA in that category.
Jeremy McMunn (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) contributed 21 points, his second highest total of the season. McMunn and Payne helped the bench to accumulate 68 of the 102 points scored in this contest. PSUGA’s offense just kept getting better as the game moved on scoring 46 points in the first half and following that up with a 56-point second half.
The win gave PSUGA sole possession of third place in the PSUAC sitting right behind PSU-Brandywine and PSU-Wilkes Barre, who each have two conference loses. PSUGA beat Brandywine earlier this season and still has a game remaining with Wilkes-Barre next week. If everything stays the way it is now and PSUGA beats Wilkes-Barre, they will find themselves in second place in the conference.
PSU-New Kensington has had a rough go of it lately dropping their last six games. Their lone bright spot has been their leading scorer Dorian Broadwater who is currently second in all of the PSUAC in PPG with 23.0 PPG. Broadwater finished with 15 points in his teams 76-54 loss to Brandywine their last time out. He finished right behind Antonio Hill and Juwan Willis, who each scored 17.
These two teams have met once already this season with PSUGA picking up an 80-73 victory. PSUGA pulled out to the early 40-31 lead at halftime and despite a comeback attempt from PSU-New Kensington, it wouldn’t be enough for them to get the victory. Since the 2011/2012 season, PSUGA has the slight advantage in the series with a record of 6-4. However, PSUGA has won five straight games with PSU-New Kensington not having beat them since the 2014/2015 season.
Tip-off for Friday night’s contest is scheduled for 7 p.m. It will be the final road game of the season for PSUGPA, before they finish the year playing their last five games on their home court.