Men's Basketball Gears Up for Conference Meeting Against Fitchburg State

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State men's basketball returns to the Woodward Center this Wednesday for a 5:30 p.m. matchup against Fitchburg State. At halftime of the game will be the Director of Athletics 3.0 Honor Roll presentation, honoring Westfield State student-athletes who have received academic achievement this past semester.

The Owls enter this matchup holding a strong 17-5 overall record and a conference-best 7-2 MASCAC mark, positioning themselves as top contenders for the regular season title. Meanwhile, Fitchburg State has faced challenges this season, sitting at 5-16 overall with a 2-6 conference record. Westfield looks to bounce back after a tough 89-85 road loss to Worcester State over the weekend.

When the Owls and Falcons faced off earlier this season in Fitchburg, Westfield State secured a convincing 19-point victory, marking their eighth consecutive win at the time. As has been the case throughout the season, the Owls were led by first-year forward Kenneth Rogers, Jr. (Springfield, Mass.) and senior Lid Moreland (Bridgeport, Conn.), who combined for 48 points in a high-scoring 105-86 win.

Rogers, Jr. recorded what was his tenth double-double of the season at the time, finishing with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists. He enters tomorrow's game with 11 total double-doubles overall. Moreland contributed 23 points and a game-high four steals. Senior Timmy Jacobus (Willemstad, Curacao) was the X-factor in the matchup, staying red-hot from beyond the arc. He drilled six three-pointers for 18 points, just after knocking down seven triples in the Owls' previous win over Worcester State.

With that performance in mind, Westfield State looks to replicate their winning formula as they prepare for another showdown with Fitchburg State this Wednesday. Rogers, Jr. leads the conference in scoring with 18.4 points per game, ranks second in rebounding at 9.0 per game, and sits in the top ten for field goal percentage at 45.5%. He recently earned his tenth MASCAC Rookie of the Week honors for his efforts last week.

Complementing Rogers, Jr. is Moreland who provides additional offensive firepower, averaging 16.9 points per game, highlighted by a career-high 33-point performance against Worcester State over the weekend. He ranks fourth in the conference in scoring and is also tied for the MASCAC lead in steals with 2.4 per game.  

Jacobus remains a dangerous three-point shooter, connecting on 42.5% of his attempts from beyond the arc, ranking third in the conference. Xavier Lewis (Long Island, N.Y.) serves as the Owls' primary playmaker, averaging 3.8 assists per game—the fifth-highest mark in the MASCAC. Lewis also ranks second in assist-to-turnover ratio, trailing only his teammate Jacobus, who leads the conference in that category. In addition to his playmaking, Lewis contributes defensively, ranking fifth in the conference with 2.2 steals per game.

Another key piece for Westfield State is senior big man Eric Johnson (Houston, Texas), whose defensive presence in the paint has been crucial. He averages 1.2 blocks per game, placing him third in the conference in that category.

For Fitchburg State, sophomore guard Jalen Jackson (San Antonio, Texas) leads the Falcons' offensive attack, averaging 13.2 points per game while also topping the team in rebounding with 7.3 boards per contest. Jackson was the leading point scorer in the matchup between these two teams earlier in the year, totaling 27 points and 12 rebounds on an efficient 11-16 shooting night.

Nathaniel Semedo (Bridgewater, Mass.) adds 12.7 points per game and leads the Falcons with 1.4 steals per game. Another key contributor is Matthew Drayton (Boston, Mass.), who averages 12.8 points per game and ranks second on the team in steals with 1.1 per contest.

The Owls aim to bounce back with a win to remain in contention for a regular season conference championship. Follow along at WestfieldStateOwls.com for live scoring and live streams of the games.

Written by Tom Onorato - Sports Information Intern