This Week in Walsh University Athletics
Monday, December 14, 2009
Tues. 15
Men's Basketball at Wilberforce University 7 pm (AM 900 WCER, www.wcer.us )
Fri. 18
Men's Basketball at University of St. Francis 7 pm (AM 900 WCER, www.wcer.us )
Women's Basketball at Calumet College of St. Joseph 7:30 pm (CST)
Sat. 19
Women's Basketball vs. Iowa Wesleyan at Calumet College of St. Joseph 12 pm (CST)
MEN'S BASKETBALL: Cavs Number Two in NAIA/Remain Unbeaten with AMC Road Win
NAIA No. 2 (new poll released today) Walsh (9-0, 2-0 AMC) remained unbeaten, and improved to 9-0 for the first time under Head Coach Jeff Young (145-34, 6th yr.) with a win in their only game last week. The Cavs 9-0 start is their best since the 1997-98 season when they opened 13-0. Walsh traveled to the University of Northwestern Ohio for an AMC South game last Saturday and came away with a hard-fought 75-69 victory. The Cavs continue their four-game road trip with games at Wilberforce University (AMC) on Tuesday night (7 pm) and at the University of Saint Francis (IN) on Friday night (7 pm). Both games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER (www.wcer.us).
Walsh outscored the University of Northwestern Ohio Racers (5-6, 1-1) 12-5 in the final four minutes to post their second straight AMC win. Walsh is the only undefeated team in the AMC. Ricky Jackson (6-7, Sr., Chicago, IL/Canton McKinley/West Virginia State), the AMC Player of the Week the past two weeks, scored a game-high 29 points to pace the Cavs. Despite shooting just 44% from the floor in the first half, Walsh led 35-34 at the break. Walsh held UNOH to just 40% in the first half on 10-25. Both teams shot the ball much better in the second, as the opened up a nine-point lead at 58-49 with 11:05 to play. The Racers would rally and tie the game at 63 with 5:40 to play on a Josh Vorst three-point play. Brandon Miller then gave UNOH their only lead of the second half on a free throw at 64-63 with 3:54 remaining. Jackson scored in the paint on the next possession to give the Cavs the lead for good at 65-64 with 3:23 left. L.J. Sutton (6-5, So., Youngstown, OH/Cardinal Mooney) then recorded a steal and finished with a two-handed dunk to put the Cavs ahead 67-64 with 3:01 left. The Racers cut it back to two points at 67-65 on a Vorst free throw, but Walsh would stretch the lead to four points at 69-65 on two Jeremy Shardo (6-3, Jr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) free throws at the 2:07 mark. UNOH cut the lead two points on Vorst layup at 69-67 with 1:52 to play, and one last time at 71-69 with 32 seconds left. Walsh then converted four straight free throws to ice the win. Jackson, who has scored 93 points in his last three games, hit 11-19 from the floor, 3-5 from three-point and 4-6 from the line. He also grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds. Shardo, who leads the NAIA (7.7) in assists, handed out a game-high nine. Lamar Skeeter (6-0, Jr., Dayton, OH/Kettering Fairmont) played an outstanding game off the bench, logging 26 minutes and scoring 10 points. Walsh shot 50% (14-28) in the second half and hit 10-11 free throws in the second half.
Walsh travels to Wilberforce (6-5, 0-1) for an AMC South game on Tuesday. The Bulldogs are coming off a 113-61 loss to Cleveland State University (NCAA l) on Saturday night, but are 4-0 at home this season. Walsh leads the all-time series 17-3 and has won the last 10 meetings.
The Cavs travel to Fort Wayne, Indiana to meet the 21st ranked USF Cougars (7-3) on Friday night. Walsh leads the all-time series 3-2 and won the last meeting 85-58, at Walsh, in 2005. The Cougars are home to Aquinas College on Monday night.
Walsh's balanced attack has seven players in double figures, led by Ricky Jackson's 24.1 ppg (2nd AMC, 7th NAIA). Jackson leads the AMC in FG% (66%) and is third in the NAIA. Jackson is also averaging 7.7 rebounds per game. Eric Schiele (6-0, Jr., Atwater, OH/Waterloo/Cleveland State) is averaging 13.0 points and 5.1 rebounds off the bench. Lamar Skeeter is averaging 12.5 points and is shooting 64% from the field and 46% from three-point. Brandon Speck (6-0, Sr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) is averaging 10.7 points and L.J. Sutton 10.3. Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Sr., Barra Bonita, Brazil/Colmeia Entec) is averaging 10.1 points and a team-best 8.6 rebounds. Jeremy Shardo is averaging 10.0 points and is shooting 88% from the line and leads the team with 24 steals.
The Cavs are averaging a NAIA best 105.4 points per game and are allowing just 62.2 ppg. Walsh also leads the NAIA in field goal percentage (55%) rebounds per game (51.9) and assists per game (23.3)
The Cavs and Oregon Tech own the NAIA Division II active streak for longest run in the Top 25 at 54 straight weeks -- the last time either was not ranked was Jan. 11, 2005.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Cavs Head to Indiana From Crimson Wave Classic
After being idle last week due to finals, Walsh (7-3, 2-1, RV) heads to Whiting, Indiana for the Crimson Wave Classic this weekend hosted by the Calumet College of St. Joseph. The Cavs play the host school at 7:30 pm (CST) on Friday night, then meet Iowa Wesleyan University on Saturday afternoon (12 pm CST).
The St. Joseph Crimson Wave are 6-6 on the season. Walsh won 66-51 last season in the only series meeting between the two schools. Iowa Wesleyan stands 7-6 on the season, and will meet the Cavs for the first time.
Jessie Miller (5-10, Sr., Strasburg, OH/HS) is averaging a team-best 17.8 ppg and is shooting 47% from the field and 80% from the line. Katie Berry (5-11, Jr., Cleveland, OH/St. Joseph's) is averaging 15.0 points, 5.7 assists, 5.0 rebounds and is shooting 48% from the field and 77% from the line. Cara Bedard (6-0, Jr., Randolph, OH)/Waterloo) is averaging 14.0 ppg and is shooting 59% from the field and averaging a team-best 6.2 rebounds. Kayla Kovach (6-0, So., Lakewood, OH/HS/IPFW) is averaging 12.0 ppg and 5.8 rebounds and is shooting 53% from the field and 77% from the line. Walsh is shooting 50% from the field and 72% from the stripe. The Cavs are averaging 79.1 points, while holding the opponents to 68.5.
