WESTFIELD, Mass. - Westfield State University men's and women's basketball teams both host Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference games this coming Wednesday, February 3 as the Owls play Worcester State in a doubleheader at the Woodward Center.
The women's game tips off at 5:30 p.m., with the men starting at 7:30 p.m. During halftime of both games there will be a ceremony recognizing Fall All-Conference student-athletes. The women's game will recognize women's and men's cross country, and volleyball. The men's game will honor women's and men's soccer, and football.
The Westfield State women are 8-12 in the season, and 5-2 in the league . The Owls are averaging 82 points per game on offense. Owls are led by forward Melissa Gray (Peabody, Mass.),who averages 20.4 points per game. Gray now leads the nation in NCAA Division III in three point field goals (76) steals (101) and steals per game (5.05) Gray has 1160 career points, good for 13th on the Owls all-time list, and needs just two points to take over 12th place from Kristen (Schmaelzle) Lavelle.
Senior Chelsea Moussette (Southampton/ Hampshire Regional) averages 11.2 points per game. She is also climbing the Owls' career lists, with 738 points (31st), 480 assists (3rd) and 229 steals (8th).
Bella Aitken (Pittsfield, Mass.) adds 10.8 points and Alison Mendel (Adams, Mass./Hoosac) averages at 8.2 points per game to highlight a strong offense for the Owls.
The Worcester State women are coming in at an average of 61.4 points per game, and a 12-6 record, and are 4-2 in the conference. Senior guard Mya Mosely is leading the Lancers with an average 13.4 points per game, alongside GiGi LeMay with an average of 9.4 ppg.
The Owls and Lancers have already played each other once, on January 14, where the Owls came on top 88-55.
The Westfield men hold a 13-7 record, and 5-2 league record with a scoring average of 82.3 points per game.
Senior guard Jauch Green, Jr. (Hartford, Conn./Cromwell) leads the Owls top scorers at 18.1 points per game, Vawn Lord (West Springfield, Mass./Amherst) has 18.0 points per game. Grad student forward Marcus Collins (Cambridge, Mass./Rindge and Latin) checks in at 10.2 points per game and junior guard Malik Pouncy (Mattapan, Mass./ Springfield Commonwealth Acad.) contributing 9.6 points per game. Freshman forward Brendon Hamilton (Worcester, Mass./Worcester Tech) is coming off his third week straight as MASCAC rookie of the week with an average of 6.5 points per game.
The Worcester State men are coming in with an average of 73.6 points scored per game with a 9-10 record as well as 5-1 mark in the league. The Lancers are led by senior Tyler Dion and Junior Chris Cardoso who both average 15.9 points per game.
Westfield fell just shy three points last month when the Owls played Worcester and lost 84-81.
Ticket prices for Westfield State home games are $6 for adults, and $3 for senior citizens and non-Westfield State students. Westfield State students, and children 12 and under are admitted free.
-- Written by Anna Matthews, Sports Information Intern