2012-13 Goldey-Beacom College Men's Basketball
Game 13: at Chestnut Hill (4-6, 1-2)
Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012 | 2:00 p.m. | Sorgenti Arena (Philadelphia, Pa.)
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Complete Goldey-Beacom Game Notes in PDF Format
Opening Tip-Off
After rallying for a one-point victory against Washington Adventist on Sunday afternoon, the Lightning will look to head into the holiday break on a winning note with a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game against Chestnut Hill on Wednesday afternoon. Opening tip-off between the Lightning and the Griffins is slated for 2 p.m. at Sorgenti Arena. Live stats and video for Wednesday's game will be available on the Griffins' official athletics website, www.griffinathletics.com.
Updating the Lightning
Now 5-7 overall and 2-2 in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, the Lightning have won two of their last three games after a close 70-69 victory over Washington Adventist on Sunday afternoon in a non-conference game at the Joseph West Jones College Center. Sophomore guard Marcus Porter gave Goldey-Beacom the victory when he converted one of two free throws with 2.2 seconds remaining to complete a 15-point performance. Meanwhile, sophomore guard Curtis Hopkins scored a career-high 18 points in the first start of his college career. Of the Lightning's five wins this season, three of them have come at home.
Scouting Chestnut Hill
Currently 4-6 overall and 1-2 in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, the Griffins have lost three of their last four games after suffering a close 79-74 setback against Mercy College in a non-conference game on Saturday afternoon. Senior guard Mark DiRugeris, Jr. led the Griffins with 23 points in a losing effort while contributing four steals. He made 6 of 14 shots from the floor and was perfect in seven free throw attempts. Meanwhile, senior guard Francis Ashe added 15 points with six rebounds and five assists. The fourth-leading scorer in the CACC, DiRugeris is averaging 17.3 points per game while making 92.6 per cent of his free throw attempts. The Griffins will be playing their third straight home game when they face the Lightning on Wednesday evening.
Series Business: Chestnut Hill
Wednesday's game between the Lightning and the Griffins will mark the 11th all-time meeting in a series that the Lightning lead by a 6-4 margin. After the Lightning swept the season series during the 2007-08 campaign, the teams have split their two regular season meetings in each of the last four years. In addition, there have been two overtime games in the series - a 74-73 double overtime win by the Lightning in 2008-09 before last year's 63-61 victory by Goldey-Beacom.
A Look at Last Year's Meetings
The Lightning and the Griffins split a pair of meetings in the regular season with each team winning on its home court. Goldey-Beacom won the first meeting at the Jones Center by a 63-61 margin in overtime as Tariq Uqdah scored the game-winning basket with one second left in the extra period, capping a 10-point and 17-rebound performance. In the second meeting just six days later, senior guard Mark DiRugeris scored all of his game-high 23 points in the second half as the Griffins broke away for a 78-74 victory at the Sorgenti Arena.
Porter Recognized as Honorable Mention Selection for CACC Weekly Awards
After leading the Lightning to a narrow 70-69 victory over Washington Adventist on Sunday afternoon, sophomore guard Marcus Porter was recognized as an honorable mention selection for the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference awards on Monday evening. In two games last week, the Wilmington, Del. native averaged 19.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game while making 45.5 per cent of his field goal attempts. After a season-high 24-point, 12-rebound effort at Wilmington on Monday, Porter contributed 15 rebounds in the one-point win over the Shock on Sunday, including the game-winning free throw with 2.2 seconds left.
Points for Porter
After scoring 15 points, including the game-winning free throw with 2.2 seconds left, against Washington Adventist on Sunday afternoon, sophomore guard Marcus Porter maintained his team-high scoring average at 15.6 points per game. The 10th-leading scorer in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, Porter has scored at least 10 points in all 12 games this season. In addition, he has scored at least 10 points in 36 of 40 career games, including 11 games with at least 20 points. With 655 career points, the Wilmington, Del. native ranks 13th on the Lightning's all-time scoring list.
Block Party
Entering Wednesday's game against Chestnut Hill, senior forward Lawrence Livingston ranks second in the CACC with 27 blocks in 11 games this season, a 2.45 average. He ranks 14th in NCAA Division II in blocks per game through games of Dec. 16. Livingston, who is the lone senior on this year's team, ranks second in school history with 90 career blocks and needs nine blocks to become the Lightning's all-time leader.
What's Ahead for Goldey-Beacom
The Lightning will be idle until Saturday, Jan. 5 when they finish their two-game road trip by visiting Bloomfield College for a 3 p.m. Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game against the Deacons. Goldey-Beacom will return home on Tuesday, Jan. 8 to host Wilmington University in the Joseph West Jones College Center at 6 p.m.
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