This Week in Athletics

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This Week in Walsh University Athletics

Monday, February 8, 2010

Tues. 9
Women's Basketball at Malone University 5:30 pm (AM 900 WCER, www.wcer.us )
Men's Basketball at Malone University 7:30 pm (AM 900 WCER, www.wcer.us )

Fri. 12
Indoor Track at Oberlin College

Sat. 13
Women's Basketball at Shawnee State University 1 pm (AM 900 WCER, www.wcer.us )
Men's Basketball at Shawnee State University 3 pm (AM 900 WCER, www.wcer.us )

MEN'S BASKETBALL: NAIA No. 2 Cavs at Malone/Shawnee State

NAIA No. 2 (new poll released today) Walsh (23-2, 11-1 AMC) remained in first place in the American Mideast Conference South Division after posting two AMC wins last week. Walsh leads second place Cedarville University, who stands 9-2 in AMC play. Walsh has four regular season games to play, while the Yellow Jackets have five. Outside of Walsh's two AMC wins (Roberts Wesleyan, Daemen) last week, they also defeated Ohio Dominican University in a non-conference game. The Cavs take a four-game win streak into the week, which begins with a conference game against rival Malone University at Osborne Hall on Tuesday night. The Cavs close the week with an AMC game at Shawnee state University on Saturday. Both games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER (www.wcer.us).

Ricky Jackson (6-7, Sr., Chicago, IL/Canton McKinley/West Virginia State) scored a game-high 27 points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds as Walsh defeated Ohio Dominican University (8-15) 80-57 on Tuesday night in Columbus. Jackson scored 13 first half points, as the Cavs raced to a 45-30 halftime lead. Jackson connected on 11-15 from the field, 1-2 from beyond the arc and 4-4 from the foul line. Lamar Skeeter (6-0, Jr., Dayton, OH/Kettering Fairmount) added 13 points and Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Sr., Barra Bonita, Brazil/Colmeia Entec) just missed a double-double with ten rebounds and nine points. The Cavs shot a blistering 57% (16-28) from the floor in the first half. Walsh was never challenged in the second half, outscoring the Panthers 35-27.

Walsh defeated Roberts Wesleyan College (12-10, 5-6 AMC) 79-43 at Alumni Arena on Friday night. Walsh scored nine points in the final 1:38 of the first half to take a 35-21 lead into the locker room. The Cavs then carried the momentum into the second half, as they outscored the Raiders 13-1 in the first 4:30 of the half to push the lead to 48-22. The Cavs then coasted, holding their largest lead at 75-37 with 1:39 to play. Isaac Knight (6-8, Sr., Detroit, MI/Crockett/Kent State) paced the Cavs off the bench with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Knight was 7-9 from the floor. Lamar Skeeter added 14 points, connecting on 4-4 from three-point. Ricky Jackson added 12 points and nine rebounds and Jeremy Shardo (6-3, Jr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) handed out a game-high 10 assists. Kyelce Cescato added eight points and 11 rebounds. Walsh out rebounded the Raiders 58-30.

Walsh used a 12-0 second half run to post their 23rd victory of the season, 84-68 over Daemen College (14-11, 6-6 AMC) at Alumni Arena on Saturday. Walsh shot just 36% (11-31) in the first half and trailed 33-26 at the half. Daemen held a ten point first half lead at 27-17 with 5:47 to play in the half. It would be their largest lead of the game. Walsh came out strong in the second half and trimmed the lead to one point at 35-34 with 17:13 to play. Daemen would regroup, and extend the lead back to seven points at 41-34 and led 46-41 with 12:43 to play. Walsh would then take control of the contest from here on out. The Cavs went on a 12-0 run to take a 53-46 lead with 10:04 to play. Ricky Jackson scored seven of the 12 points, with Jeremy Shardo adding a three-ball and Isaac Knight a jumper. Daemen would make one last charge and cut the lead to four points at 53-49 with 9:56 to play. Walsh would then use an eight-point run to extend the lead back to double figures, where it would be for the rest of the game. The final margin of 16 points proved to be the Cavs' largest lead of the game. Ricky Jackson scored 20 of his game-high 29 points in the second half. Jackson was 12-18 from the field and 5-5 from the stripe. He also grabbed seven rebounds. Lamar Skeeter added 19 points, 14 in the second half and Jeremy Shardo 15 points, all in the second half. L.J. Sutton (6-5, So., Youngstown, OH/Cardinal Mooney) added eight points and eight rebounds. Walsh held the rebound advantage 41-29 and committed only seven turnovers and just one in the second half.

Walsh and rival Malone (12-13, 8-5 AMC N) meet for the second time this season and 101st time on Tuesday. The Cavs won the first meeting, 88-47, at Walsh on November 24 and lead the all-time series 61-39. The Cavs have won the last six meetings. Malone had their season-high eight-game win streak snapped by Roberts Wesleyan College, 92-76, on Saturday. Malone is second in the AMC North.

Walsh meets Shawnee State University (7-17, 4-7 AMC S) in Portsmouth, Ohio on Saturday. Walsh won the first meeting, 118-62, at home, on January 15. Shawnee is coming off an 84-68 win over Point Park University last Saturday. Walsh has won the last eight meetings and leads the all-time series 28-13.

Walsh's balanced attack has four players in double figures, led by AMC scoring leader Ricky Jackson (22.8 ppg). Jackson is second in the AMC in FG% (.616) and is sixth in the NAIA. He is also third in the AMC in free throw percentage (.804) and is tied for the team lead in rebounding with Cescato at 8.0 boards per game. Lamar Skeeter (6-0, Jr., Dayton, OH/Kettering Fairmount) is averaging 13.6 points and is shooting .520 from the field, and is fifth in the AMC at the free throw line at .800. Brandon Speck (6-0, Sr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) is averaging 10.4 points and is sixth in the AMC three-point shooting (.403). Jeremy Shardo is averaging 9.7 points and leads the NAIA in assists (6.8) and assist/turnover ratio (2.93). L.J. Sutton is scoring at a 9.3 clip and is shooting .484 from the field and is pulling down 5.9 rebounds. Kyelce Cescato is averaging 8.9 points, is shooting .575 from the field. Since joining the Cavs in January, Isaac Knight is shooting .750 (27-36) from the floor in 10 games. He is averaging 6.2 points and 4.0 rebounds in 11.3 minutes.

The Cavs are averaging 94.6 points per game, first in the AMC and second in the NAIA, and are allowing just 61.3 ppg (1st-AMC, 3rd-NAIA). Walsh also leads the NAIA in scoring margin (33.4), field goal percentage (.514), team field goal defense (.367), offensive (49.3) and defensive rebounds (34.0) and rebound margin (19.0), assists per game (18.5) and assist/turnover ratio (1.60). The Cavs also lead the AMC in three-point field goal percentage (.397), which is good for third in the NAIA.

The Cavs and Oregon Tech own the NAIA Division II active streak for longest run in the Top 25 at 59 straight weeks -- the last time either was not ranked was Jan. 11, 2005. Walsh has won 33 straight home games and 54 of their last 55.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Cavs Post Back-to-Back Wins, Face Big Week

NAIA No. 24 Walsh (18-7, 11-3 AMC) bounced back from back-to-back losses last week, to post back-to-back wins this past week to stay in the thick of the American Mideast Conference race. Walsh now trails NAIA third ranked Cedarville (13-1) and eighth ranked Shawnee State University (11-2) in the AMC, with five conference games left to play. Walsh returns to the hardwood this week at Malone University on Tuesday (5:30 pm), at home against Ursuline College on Thursday (6 pm) and at Shawnee State on Saturday (1 pm). The Malone and Shawnee state games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh never trailed in defeating Roberts Wesleyan College 86-47 at Alumni Arena on Friday night. Walsh used a balanced offensive attack that saw 12 different players scoring points. The points came early and often for the Cavaliers as they raced out to a 7-0 lead. After Roberts Wesleyan closed the gap to three points at 11-8, Walsh proceeded to go onto a 22-0 run. By halftime, Walsh was up 50-19. Jessie Miller (Sr., 5-10, Strasburg, OH/HS) led the Cavs with a game-high 14 points. Cara Bedard (Jr., 6-0, Randolph, OH/Waterloo) and Kristi Yoder (So., 6-1, Millersburg, OH/Hiland) were the other double-figure scorers for Walsh with 11 points each.

Playing their second game in less than 24 hours, Walsh defeated a scrappy Daemen College team 71-64 Saturday afternoon at Alumni Arena. The Wildcats (13-11, 9-5) came ready to play in hopes of upsetting the 24th ranked Cavaliers, but couldn’t contain Cara Bedard, who paced Walsh with a strong 21-points and a 10 carom double-double in addition to blocking four shots. She was aided by Jessie Miller, who scored 15 points, and Katie Berry’s (Jr., 5-11, Cleveland, OH/St. Joseph’s) 13 points. Daemen threatened to take control of the game after a trey by Bridgette Burke gave them a 45-44 advantage with 14:02 to play, but Walsh proceeded to go on a 17-4 run. Eight of those points came from the hands of Miller, who scored 13 of her 15 points in the second half. Daemen would rally, and eventually cut the Cavalier lead to one (65-64) after a Tara Bailey free throw with 2:46 remaining. Walsh’s defense then tightened up and prevented Daemen from scoring again while a couple of Berry baskets and two Bedard foul shots set up the final margin.

Walsh and Malone (4-22, 1-14) meet for the second time this season and 64th time all-time on Tuesday night. The Cavs won the first meeting (Mayor's Cup) 86-54 at Walsh on November 10 and lead the all-time series for the first time at 32-31. Walsh has won the last five meetings. Malone is 0-11 at home and has lost their last 11 games.

Walsh and Ursuline (5-22, 1-14) meet for the second time this season on Thursday. Walsh won the first meeting 93-39 at Ursuline on January 5. Walsh leads the all-time series 11-1. The Arrows have lost their last four games.

Walsh plays one of their most important games of the season in Portsmouth, Ohio on Saturday, against Shawnee State (19-4, 11-2). The Bears are busy this week, playing Mount Vernon Nazarene on Tuesday and Cedarville University on Thursday. Walsh won the first meeting, 64-61, at Alumni Arena on January 15, but trail in the all-time series 34-5. A win would give the Cavs their first ever season series sweep over the powerful Bears. Shawnee has won their last seven games.

Jessie Miller leads the team in scoring at 15.9 ppg. Miller is shooting .443 from the field and .795 from the line. Katie Berry is next at 14.3 ppg. Berry is shooting .478 from the field, .411 from three-point and .737 from the line. She leads the Cavs in 4.7 (6th AMC) in assists and 61 steals (2.6, 3rd AMC) and is third in assist/turnover ratio (1.45). Cara Bedard is averaging 13.6 ppg and a team-best 7.0 rebounds. Bedard leads the AMC in field goal percentage (.610) and is fourth in the NAIA. She is third in the AMC in blocked shots (56, 2.2 pg). Kayla Kovach is averaging 10.6 points and 5.6 rebounds and leads the AMC and 13th in the NAIA in free throw percentage (.848)
Walsh leads the AMC and is second in the NAIA in field goal percentage (.480), three-point percentage (.373/AMC 1st/NAIA 5th) and assists (18.7/NAIA 2nd).