Penn State DuBois junior guard Jaiquil Johnson drives for a layup during a recent game at the PAW Center
DuBOIS, Pa. — With the end of the regular season closing in fast, the basketball teams at Penn State DuBois are looking to capitalize on an upcoming schedule that will see them play three of their last four games at home at the PAW Center. Coming off a two-game week, the Nittany Lions and Lady Lions will kick off this week at home on Tuesday.
Last week, the Lady Lions made the trip down to Penn State Greater Allegheny looking to improve on their record in PSUAC conference play. A slow scoring performance in the first quarter saw DuBois down by 11 points when the end of the first quarter horn sounded. But the Lady Lions didn’t fall back, as their defensive effort only allowed the lead to grow by one, going into the locker room at half time trailing by 12 points. However, DuBois couldn’t find their shooting range when the teams switched sides to start the second half, as they were limited to seven points and turned the ball over seven times to Greater Allegheny’s defense. The Lady Lions mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter, outscoring Greater Allegheny 20-11, but the deficit was too much to overcome, and the Lady Lions fell to Greater Allegheny by a final score of 68-50. Shannon Shaw lead the DuBois scoring effort with 17 points combine with nine rebounds, one rebound away from a double-double. Megan Hyde came off the bench to score double digit points as well, contributing 10 points to the Lady Lions’ effort.
The Lady Lions returned home on Saturday to host Penn State Fayette at the PAW Center. A closely contested first half saw DuBois trailing by only six points, 24-18, heading into the halftime break. Fayette increased the lead by only two more points in the third quarter, setting up the possibility for a dramatic finish between these two closely contested teams. The teams were so close in margin that they each scored 16 points in the final quarter and Fayette held on for the win over DuBois by a final score of 56-48. Frances Milliron had a great game for the Nittany Lions with a double-double, 10 points and 12 rebounds while also dishing out five assists. Shaw was the leading scorer for DuBois in the game, netting 15 points, while Kelsey Stuart added 12 points in a continuation of strong bench play for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State DuBois freshman guard Frances Milliron prepares to throw a pass just beyond the center court logo during a recent contest at the PAW Center
On the men’s side, the Nittany Lions also made the journey down to Penn State Greater Allegheny for a contest that Penn State DuBois was looking to use to gain some ground in their attempt to climb in the PSUAC west division standings. But, the Nittany Lions struggled with shooting in the first half, only hitting 33% of their shots from the field and only connecting on one three pointer the entire first half. Combine that with a shooting performance from Greater Allegheny that saw them drain 10 three-point shots and DuBois found themselves trailing 44-28 at halftime. Although shooting numbers improved in the second half for the Nittany Lions and they were able to get the Greater Allegheny lead down to as low as nine, the turnover bug found its way in, and DuBois committed 13 turnovers in the second half. This proved to be too much for the Nittany Lions as they took the loss 94-65. Two DuBois players scored in double figures in the game. Jaiquil Johnson continued his strong scoring season with 15 points in this game, while Grant Grimaldi came off the bench to score 15 points as well.
Coming back home on Saturday, Penn State DuBois hosted Penn State Fayette in a game that saw the Nittany Lions trying to even the season series and avenge one of their losses earlier in the season. The Nittany Lions came out determined on the defensive side of the ball, holding Fayette to just six made baskets in the first half while also forcing six turnovers, including three steals. DuBois also shot 45% from the field on their way to a 39-12 halftime lead at the PAW Center. In the second half, the Nittany Lions continued their defensive pressure, capturing five steals and forcing six turnovers. While Fayette found the bottom of the net more often in the second half than they did in the first, DuBois continued on with their solid performance and got the win by a final score of 81-59. The Nittany Lions saw four of their players score in double digits. Johnson netted 29 points, Ashton Fortson scored 15 points, Grimaldi contributed 14 points, and Christopher Frontera hit four three-pointers in the game for 12 points.
This week, Penn State DuBois men’s and women’s basketball teams have two games that will play a key role in how things will play out in the PSUAC west division standings. Starting on Tuesday night, Penn State DuBois will host Penn State Mont Alto, with the women’s game starting at 6 p.m. and the men’s game to follow at 8 p.m. at the PAW Center. This marks the second time this season that DuBois and Mont Alto will meet on the court. The Lady Lions were able to bring home a 64-58 win back in December while the Nittany Lions will be looking to get a win after falling to Mont Alto 73-62 on the same night.
Both teams will hit the road on Saturday when they travel to take on Penn State Beaver. This will be the first time DuBois and Beaver will play each other this season. The women’s game is scheduled to tip off at 1 p.m. with the men’s game following at 3 p.m. at Beaver. The teams won’t have to wait long for the second matchup of the season, as they will play each other again just 11 days later on Feb. 22 at the PAW Center in DuBois.
For complete athletic schedules, visit the Penn State DuBois athletic website at psuduboisathletics.com.
