By Bob Franceski, NEPASportsNation.com
Tuesday’s National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I basketball schedule saw nine District 2 graduates playing or serving as head coach.
Here is a recap of how each did:
LEO O’BOYLE, LAFAYETTE COLLEGE MEN
6-foot-7 senior forward from Scranton Prep
Tuesday’s result
University of Pennsylvania (2-4) won at Lafayette (1-5), 74-68, in overtime
Individual statistics
Started, played 25 minutes; 4/6 FG, 1/3 on 3-pointers, 7/8 FT, 16 points; 3 defensive rebounds; 2 turnovers.
Notes
O’Boyle hit 2 free throws with 22 seconds left for the last points of regulation, forcing a 61-61 tie to send the game into overtime. … O’Boyle has led the Leopards in scoring each of the last three games. He also is the leading scorer on the season at 13.5 points per game.
Up next
Lafayette travels to Penn State Friday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
BOBBY PLANUTIS, PURDUE FORT WAYNE MEN
6-foot-8 graduate student forward from Hazleton Area
Tuesday’s result
Purdue Fort Wayne (3-2) defeated Eastern Michigan (1-4), 74-67 in Cancun, Mexico
Individual statistics
Started, played 33 minutes; 1/8 FG, 1/7 on 3-pointers, 5/5 FT, 8 points; 1 offensive, 5 defensive, 6 total rebounds; 2 turnovers; 1 steal.
Notes
Eastern Michigan erased an 11-point, second-half Mastodon lead to tie the game with 7:46 remaining. Purdue Fort Wayne responded with a 7-2 run, started by Planutis, who was fouled attempting a 3-point shot and made all three free throws to put his team up, 57-54. … Purdue Fort Wayne shot 15 of 17 from the free throw line in the win. … Purdue Fort Wayne limited Eastern Michigan leading scorer Emoni Bates to a season-low 16 points.
Up next
Purdue Fort Wayne plays Southern Miss Wednesday at 3 p.m. for the Cancun Challenge Mayan Division Championship.
GEORGE TINSLEY, MOUNT ST. MARY’S MEN
6-foot-6 senior forward from Abington Heights
Tuesday’s result
Mount St. Mary’s (3-3) won at Pacific (2-3), 69-65.
Individual statistics
Started, played 23 minutes; 2/4 FG, 2/1 on 3-pointers, 4 points; 2 offensive, 1 defensive, 3 total rebounds; 2 turnovers; 1 blocked shot.
Notes
Tinsley’s playing time was reduced by foul trouble. … This was the first-ever meeting between the Mount and Cal Poly. … It is also the first-ever game against a Big West opponent.
Up next
Mount St. Mary’s visits Navy Saturday. Game time is 11 a.m.
ETHAN MEUSER, STONEHILL COLLEGE MEN
6-foot-8 freshman guard from Wyoming Seminary
Tuesday’s result
Host Fordham (5-1) defeated Stonehill (2-5), 71-60.
Individual statistics
Came off the bench, played 14 minutes; 2/2 FG, 1/1 on 3-pointers, 5 points; 1 defensive rebound.
Notes
This is the third straight game that Meuser went 2-for-2 from the floor, hitting a 3-pointer. On the season, he is 7-for-9 (77.8 percent) from the floor, 3-for-4 (75.0) on 3-pointers and 5-for-5 from the line. … Stonehill went 1-2 in the Tom Konchalski Classic at Fordham.
Up next
Stonehill visits University of Massachusetts Lowell Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
DA’MIR FAISON, NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MEN
6-foot-7 junior forward from Hazleton Area
Tuesday’s result
New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) (1-4) defeated host Sacred Heart (3-3), 85-75.
Individual statistics
Came off the bench, played 6 minutes; 1/1 FG, 2 points; 1 defensive rebound; 2 assists.
Notes
The game was tied with 11:36 left in the first half. NJIT then scored 17 points in a row to take a commanding 37-20 lead. … NJIT is 5-0 when scoring at least 70 points dating back to the beginning of last season. … The Highlanders shot a season-high 50.9 percent (28-for-55) from the field and 50 percent (11-for-22) from three-point range in the win.
Up next
NJIT hosts Wagner Sunday at 2 p.m.
RACHAEL ROSE, WOFFORD COLLEGE WOMEN
5-foot-7 sophomore guard from Scranton Prep
Tuesday’s result
Wofford (3-2) defeated host University of North Carolina Wilmington (1-3), 67-66.
Individual statistics
Started, played 40 minutes; 8/14 FG, 4/6 on 3-pointers, 2/4 FT, 22 points; 1 defensive rebound; 4 assists; 2 steals.
Notes
Rose has scored at least 20 points in all 3 games of a winning streak since an 0-2 start. … Rose went 4-for-6 on 3-pointers. In each of her last four games, she has made at least half of her shots from 3-point range and overall from the floor. … “This wasn’t our best game offensively by any means,” Rose said, according to a recap on the Wofford athletic website, “but the way we stuck together and made our shots when it counted, I think that says a lot about the players we have in this locker room and the season we’re going to have ahead.”
Up next
Wofford hosts Southern Wesleyan University Monday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
KYLIE LAVELLE, DREXEL UNIVERSITY WOMEN
6-foot-2 freshman forward from Riverside
Tuesday’s result
Drexel (3-1) defeated visiting Lehigh (2-3), 84-61.
Individual statistics
Started, played 29 minutes; 9/11 FG, 1/1 on 3-pointers, 1/4 on FT, 20 points; 3 defensive rebounds; 1 turnover; 1 steal.
Notes
Lavelle was named Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Week for the second consecutive week. … Four players scored in double figures and the Drexel women got off to a hot start, scoring 14 of the first 18 points. … Lavelle has three games scoring 20 or more points. … In a recap posted on Drexel’s athletic website, Lavelle commented on the start to her collegiate career. “It’s a lot of fun. I couldn’t do it without the seniors and upperclassmen. They talk me through everything I need to know on the court. It’s just a lot of fun to be out there.” … Drexel’s game at Buffalo will be the second time this season Lavelle will see a District 2 graduate on the opposing side. Former Abington Heights standout Becky Burke is the head coach of University at Buffalo. Lavelle went head-to-head on the court with Dunmore’s Victoria Toomey in the season opener against Rider.
Up next
Drexel visits Buffalo Sunday at 12:00 pm.
CECELIA COLLINS, BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY WOMEN
6-foot sophomore guard from Scranton Prep
Tuesday’s result
Bucknell (2-3) defeated visiting Iona (2-3), 55-52.
Individual statistics
Started, played 37 minutes; 3/9 FG, 2/2 on 3-pointers, 2/3 FT, 10 points; 1 offensive, 3 defensive, 4 total rebounds; 6 assists; 4 turnovers; 1 steal.
Notes
Collins made 1 of 2 free throws with five seconds left to assure that Iona could not win in regulation. Iona had a last-second chance at a tying 3-pointer, but came up short. … The game featured 13 lead changes and 7 ties with the largest lead for either team being just 5 points. … Bucknell outscored Iona, 16-11, in the fourth quarter after trailing at the conclusion of each of the first three quarters. … With 8:50 to play, a 3-pointer by Collins gave Bucknell its first lead since the 6:59 mark in the second quarter. It was the second basket in a 10-2 Bison run.
Up next
Bucknell travels to Syracuse Friday. Tipoff is at 7:00.
BECKY BURKE, UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO WOMEN
Head coach from Abington Heights
Tuesday’s result
Mercyhurst (2-2) defeated host University at Buffalo (1-2), 70-68.
Notes
Buffalo had two good looks at the basket on its final possession but neither dropped. … Buffalo was led by Zakiyah Winfield who scored a game-high 22 points to go with a career-high 14 rebounds. She also added six assists and two steals. It was the third straight double-double for Winfield. … The Bulls recorded season-highs with 36 points in the paint and 14 fastbreak points.
Up next
Buffalo hosts Drexel Sunday at noon.
