West Chester ends three-game skid in series versus Lincoln – Daily Local

By Neil Geoghegan
ngeoghegan@21st-centurymedia.com
@NeilMGeoghegan on Twitter
WEST CHESTER >> More was on the line Tuesday at Hollinger Field House than just the final non-league contest of the women’s basketball season for West Chester.
The Golden Rams’ final tune up for the rigors of a title run in the PSAC resulted in a 74-56 victory over cross-county rival Lincoln. But it meant just a little more considering the fact that the visiting Lions entered the clash with a three-game winning streak in the series dating back to 2019.
“It was definitely mentioned before this game,” said junior forward Anna McTamney.
“That was actually in our scouting report,” added Lincoln head coach Janice Washington. “It said: ‘(WCU) is going to be hungry because we’ve beaten them three times in a row.’
“This is an experienced West Chester team and (senior point guard) Leah Johnson has been a star for all four years. This is for Chester County bragging rights, so I think West Chester came out ready.”
In fact, nobody on the West Chester’s current roster had experienced a win over LU … until Tuesday.
“The main one I talked to about it was Leah, and I mentioned that I was tired of losing to (Lincoln),” said WCU head coach Kiera Wooden. “She has suffered through all three losses and hadn’t beaten Lincoln.”
It’s important to note that the Lincoln amassed a 70-23 record in its last three full seasons, which included wins over the Rams in each. And it is important because both sides are, and have been, near the top of the NCAA Atlantic Region Rankings.
“Regional games in November and December can have implications in March,” Wooden pointed out.
West Chester improves to 7-1 overall (2-0 in the PSAC), and is currently ranked 11th by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. The Lions (3-3 overall) determined effort in the second half pleased Washington. Her team has one more non-conference outing before starting the CIAA slate on Dec. 11.
“The thing I am most proud about is that they kept fighting,” Washington said. “They could have decided, ‘we are going to lose this game,’ and simply roll over. But they kept fighting.
“We did a good job of getting into the game for the second half. The problem was the score. It was a tough hole to dig yourself out of.”
The Rams never trailed, opened a double-digit lead late in the first quarter and widened it to 44-20 at halftime. In the opening 20 minutes, WCU held LU to under 26-percent shooting from the field, and had an edge of 22-8 with scoring in the paint.
“I think we were locked in on the defensive end,” Wooden said.
“We out-rebounded (WCU) and outscored them in the second half, so you take those positives,” Washington added. “But the key is that you have to be ready at the start. You have to give it 40 minutes and you can’t go to sleep on a good opponent.”

With nothing to lose, LU tried to shake things up by going with full court pressure to start the second half, and the Lions cut the margin under 20 on a couple occasions. Lincoln was plus-seven on the boards in the third quarter (including eight offensive rebounds), but still trailed 59-38 heading into the fourth. At that point, WCU emptied its bench.
For the game, the Lions were plus-eight on the boards, including 22 on the offensive glass.
“We have to hit the weight room. We have to emphasize boxing out more, and some of the other little things,” McTamney said.
“We have to make sure we are converting those offensive rebounds, but we did do a good job of getting on the glass,” Washington added.
Senior post player Emily McAteer led all scorers with 17, and Johnson chipped in with 15 points and five assists. McTamney added 11 points.
“The good thing about this team is that we know there are still a lot of things we need to work on,” Wooden said. “But to win the game by this kind of margin – in spite of the flaws – is a good thing. In years past we would not have been able to come out with a victory.
“Twenty two offensive rebounds is a problem. We are not going to be able to out-jump everybody. When you are playing against tall, athletic teams, you are going to have to be fundamentally sound.”
Sophomore forward D’Ayzha Atkinson paced the Lions with 11 points off the bench, and Isis Triplett added nine.
It was West Chester’s seventh home game so far this season, and the Rams’ lone loss was at Jefferson. Lincoln, on the other hand, has played once at home in six outings.
“This team is still, in my opinion, a veteran team,” Wooden said. “They’ve been on the road, they’ve played in hostile situations before, so it’s not anything we are not accustomed to. We just have to play our style of basketball no matter where we are playing.”
West Chester 74, Lincoln 56
LINCOLN – Triplett 4-9 1-2 9; Madison Walker 0-3 1-2 1; Fields 2-9 0-0 5; Lanier 3-6 0-0 6; Montgomery 2-13 0-0 4; Atkinson 3-12 5-6 11; Akinniyi 1-4 1-2 3; Young 3-4 2-2 8; Brown 3-4 0-0 6; Holliday 1-1 1-2 3; Lee 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-66 11-16 56.
WEST CHESTER – McAteer 7-8 2-2 17; McTamney 5-6 0-1 11; Kozicki 2-6 1-2 5; Boyd 1-8 2-2 4; Johnson 5-8 4-4 15; Daley 1-3 4-3 5; Seltzer 0-1 2-2 2; Conran 0-2 0-0 0; Coleman 1-3 0-0 2; Glasser-Hyman 0-1 0-0 0; McGriff 2-2 2-5 7; Ross 1-4 4-6 6; Boyer 0-2 0-0 0; Hopta 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-55 20-28 74.
Lincoln 10 10 18 18 — 56
West Chester 19 25 15 15 — 74
Three-point goals: Fields, McAteer, McTamney, Johnson, McGriff.