2012-13 Goldey-Beacom College Men's Basketball
Game 17: vs. Chestnut Hill (7-8, 3-2)
Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013 | 8 p.m. | Joseph West Jones College Center (Wilmington, Del.)
Live Video: Click Here | Live Stats: Click Here
Complete Goldey-Beacom Game Notes in PDF Format
Opening Tip-Off
Looking to snap their season-high four-game losing streak, the Lightning will return to the Joseph West Jones College Center on Tuesday evening for a key Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division match-up against Chestnut Hill College. Opening tip-off between the Griffins and the Lightning is slated for 8 p.m. or approximately 25 minutes after the conclusion of the women's game between Goldey-Beacom and Chestnut Hill. In addition, live stats and video for Tuesday's game will be available on the Lightning's official athletics website, www.gbcathletics.com.
Updating the Lightning
Now 5-11 overall and 2-6 in the CACC, the Lightning have lost four consecutive games after a tough 83-70 setback against Holy Family in a CACC South Division game on Saturday afternoon at the Campus Center. Sophomore guard Marcus Porter, who came off the bench for the second straight game, led the Lightning with 17 points while junior forward Jordan Thorpe added a team-high 12 rebounds. In addition, sophomore guard Charles Jackson tallied a career-high seven steals in addition to scoring 16 points. The Lightning's leading scorer, Porter also ranks ninth in the CACC by averaging 15.9 points per game. Since opening their CACC schedule against Concordia on Nov. 30, the Lightning have won just two games.
Scouting Chestnut Hill
After dropping a 67-63 decision against Philadelphia University on Saturday afternoon, the Griffins will bring a 7-8 overall record and a 3-3 mark in the CACC into Tuesday's game against the Lightning. The loss against the Rams snapped a brief two-game win streak for the Griffins. Senior guard Mark DiRugeris, Jr. scored a game-high 21 points in a losing effort for the Griffins, making 8 of 17 shots from the floor. Meanwhile, freshman guard Christian Walck added nine points with four assists and three rebounds off the bench. The CACC's leading scorer with an 18.9 average, DiRugeris has scored 20 or more points in six of his last seven games, including a season-high 33 points in a win over Nyack on Jan. 5. He also leads the CACC by making 92.0 per cent of his free throw attempts.
Series Business: Chestnut Hill
Tuesday night's game between the Lightning and the Griffins will mark the 12th all-time meeting in a series that the Lightning lead by a slim 6-5 margin. However, the Griffins have taken four of the last six encounters after their 76-62 win on Dec. 19 in Philadelphia. 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 This Year's Earlier Meeting
Led by a career-high 21 points and 10 rebounds from sophomore guard Seamus Radtke, the Griffins posted their second win in the last three games with a 76-62 CACC victory over the Lightning on Dec. 19 at Sorgenti Arena. Radtke, who posted the first 20-point game of his college career, helped the Griffins overcome a one-point half-time deficit to beat the Lightning at home for the third straight season. Meanwhile, junior guard Mark DiRugeris, Jr. posted his third straight 20-point game with a game-high 25 points, making 9 of 17 field goal attempts along with four of five free throws. The Lightning were led by sophomore guard Marcus Porter, who scored 20 points with 10 rebounds for his third “double double” in four games.
Jumping for Jackson
Since being inserted into the starting lineup against Caldwell on Dec. 8, sophomore guard Charles Jackson has been one of the Lightning's top scorers by averaging 12.9 points per game while shooting 42.2 per cent from the field. In addition, he leads the team with 14 steals in the last seven games, including a career-high seven steals against Holy Family on Saturday afternoon. The Wilmington, Del. native led the Lightning to a win over Caldwell in the first start of his career, scoring 22 points in a 76-62 victory over the Cougars. He also provided 18 points in a win over Washington Adventist on Dec. 16 along with 17 points at Bloomfield on Jan. 5. Jackson is the Lightning's third-leading scorer this season with an 11.1 average.
Block Party
Entering Tuesday night's game against Chestnut Hill, senior forward Lawrence Livingston is tied for the CACC lead with 33 blocks in 15 games this season, a 2.20 average. He ranks 19th in NCAA Division II in blocks per game through games of Jan. 13. Livingston, who is the lone senior on this year's team, ranks second in school history with 96 career blocks and needs three blocks to become the Lightning's all-time leader.
What's Ahead for Goldey-Beacom
The Lightning will be idle until Wednesday, Jan. 23 when they travel to Philadelphia University for the first of two meetings against the Rams. Opening tip-off at the Gallagher Center is slated for 8 p.m.
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