Monday, December 10, 2007

Mon. 10 Women's Basketball (A) Indiana University (PA) 5:30 pm

Thurs. 13 Women's Basketball (H) Point Park College 7 pm

Sat. 15 Women's Basketball at Siena Heights University 1 pm

Men's Basketball at College of Wooster 8:30 pm *

* Games to be broadcast on AM 900 WCER

MEN'S BASKETBALL: (8-1) Cavs Extend Win Streak to Six/Up in Rankings to Three

NAIA No. 3 Walsh (8-1) extended their winning streak to six games and jumped three places in the NAIA's first regular season poll.  The Cavs posted wins over Ohio State-Mansfield at Alumni Arena, and Point Park College and the University of NW Ohio at Hoops 4 Healing Classic.  This Saturday they play at the College of Wooster (4-2) at 8:30 pm.  The game will be aired live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh led from start-to-finish in their 110-64 romp over Ohio State-Mansfield.  Six players reached double figures for the Cavs, led by Kyelce Cescato's (6-10, Fr., Barra Bonita, Brazil/Colmeia Entec) 18 points and 18 rebounds.  Cescato led the Walsh bench attack, which produced 54 points.  Eder Araujo (7-0, Sr., Sao Paulo, Brazil/Odete Maria de Freitas) tallied 18 points, Corey Jones (6-3, Sr., Avon Lake, OH/Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary) 16, Joe Shardo (6-5, Jr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles/Univ. MO-Rolla) 14, Ryan Butler (6-6, Fr., Hamilton, OH/HS) 11 and Jeremy Shardo (Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) 10 points.   Walsh shot .535 (46-86) from the field.

Walsh rallied from an 11-point deficit to defeat Point Park College (7-5) 99-92 in overtime at Malone College in the Hoops 4 Healing Classic on Friday.   Point Park shot .633 from the field in the first half in building a 29-18 lead.  The game was tied at 18 when the Pioneers went on an 11-point run to forge ahead.  Walsh rallied to cut the lead to 43-36 at halftime on the strength of six first half three-pointers.  Walsh hit 10-18 three-pointers in the second half, the biggest one by Brandon Weems (Sr., 5-10, Akron, OH/Saint Vincent-Saint Mary) to tie the game at 86 with 16 seconds to play and send the game into overtime.  Weems finished with 14 points and eight assists.  Walsh out scored Point Park 13-6 in the overtime.  Walsh hit 17-34 (.500) from beyond the arc, and took the lead for good at 93-90 in the OT on a three-pointer from Brandon Speck (6-0, So., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) with 1:23 to play.  Speck finished with 17 points on 5-11 from three-point.  Corey Jones led the Cavs with 22 points, connecting on 6-8 from three-point.  Eder Araujo added 20 points and a team-high eight rebounds.  Walsh turned the ball over just seven times, while handing out 24 assists.  Walsh hit 17 three-pointers, one shy of the record 18 they nailed against Point Park on November 16th at the Alvernia College Tournament.  Walsh has made 35 three's against Point Park in their two wins over the Pioneers.

Walsh raced to its sixth straight win, 83-53 over the University of Northwestern Ohio Racers at the Hoops 4 Healing Classic on Saturday afternoon.  After trailing 6-4, Walsh used a 21-2 run to take control.  The Cavs shot .548 (17-31) in the first half and led 44-20.  Walsh held UNOH to just .241 (7-29) from the field in the first half.  The Cavs were never threatened in the second half and led by as many as 37 points.  Everybody played and scored, as the Cavs were paced by Josh Johnson (6-4, Jr., Warren, OH/Harding) and Joe Shardo who each scored 13 points.   Walsh out rebounded UNOH 48-27, with Eder Araujo grabbing a game-high nine.

Corey Jones has regained the scoring lead from Eder Araujo.  Corey Jones is averaging 14.4 points per game and Araujo 14.2 points.  Jones leads the American Mideast Conference in three-point percentage (.578).  He has connected on 26-46 from beyond the arc.  The Cavs are shooting .425 as a team from three-point.  Araujo leads the team in rebounding (7.2 rpg).  Freshman standout Lamar Skeeter (5-10, Fr., Dayton, OH/Kettering Alter) has come off the bench and provided instant offense and is averaging 11.1 points.  Joe Shardo is averaging 9.3 points and is shooting .603 from the field.  Brandon Speck is averaging 9.1 points in 17.4 minutes per game and is shooting .477 from three-point.  Josh Johnson is averaging 9.1 points and 5.9 rebounds.  Brandon Weems continues his strong all around play, averaging 8.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists.  The Cavs are averaging 88.6 points per game.

Walsh travels to Wooster, Ohio to meet the NCAA D-lll Scots on Saturday night.  Wooster beat the Cavs 85-68 in North Canton last year.  The Scots are 4-2 this season, and lead the all-time series 7-3.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Cavs (4-3) Back After Layoff

Walsh (4-3) resumes action on Monday, in the first of three games this week.  The Cavs last played on November 29.  Walsh travels to Indiana University (PA) on Monday (5:30 pm), host Point Park in a make-up game on Thursday (7 pm) and travel to Siena Heights University (MI) on Saturday (1 pm).

Walsh lost 78-70 to Indiana (PA) last year in the only meeting with the Crimson Hawks.  Indiana is off to an 8-0 start and is ranked sixth in NCAA lll.  The Cavs and Point Park will played their postponed game from December 1 on Thursday at Alumni Arena.  Point Park is 2-6 on the season.  Walsh leads the all-time series 5-0.  The Cavs and Siena Heights meet for the second time.  The Saints won 87-51 last year and stand 6-4.

Leah Seaman (5-8, So., Louisville, OH/HS) leads the team in scoring, with a 13.6 per game average.  The Cavs guard is also averaging 3.7 assists per game.  Katie Berry (5-11, Fr., Cleveland Heights, OH/St. Joseph Academy) is averaging 13.0 points and 4.9 rebounds and is shooting .493 from the field.    Cara Bedard (6-0, Fr., Randolph, OH/Waterloo) is averaging 12.4 points and leads the team in rebounding (6.3 RPG).   Bedard is shooting .567 from the floor.  The Cavs have been outstanding defensively, allowing only 65.0 points per contest.

FOOTBALL: Galassi Repeats on AFCA/NAIA All-American Team

Walsh University left tackle Mike Galassi (6-5, 302, Sr., Strongsville, OH/Holy Name) has been selected first team on the American Football Coaches Association/NAIA All-American Team for the second straight year.  Galassi started every game at tackle for the second straight year after transferring from Kent State University, and is one of only four players to repeat on offense.  Only nine NAIA schools have had players earn consecutive AFCA Coaches' All-America honors.