AMCC Men's Basketball Game of the Week:
Pitt-Greensburg @ La Roche University
Saturday, December 21 at 2:00 p.m.
The AMCC Men's Basketball Game of the Week features the top two teams, and the only remaining undefeated teams, in the conference to date. The Panthers enter the game with a perfect 5-0 mark in conference play, while the Redhawks boast a 4-0 record.
Pitt-Greensburg enters Saturday’s AMCC contest at La Roche sitting atop the conference standings with a 7-1 overall record and a perfect 5-0 mark in league play. After dropping the season-opener at W&J, the Bobcats have reeled off seven consecutive wins. The Bobcats currently rank second in the conference making 49.0% of its field goal attempts and are the conference’s best team at the charity stripe, connecting on 75.7% of its free-throws. Pitt-Greensburg has also been impressive on the defensive end of the court, ranking third in the AMCC in rebounds (40.3) and have done a great job of limiting second chance opportunities, as they average 29.9 defensive rebounds, which is the top mark in the conference. Matt Johnson leads the Bobcats in scoring (16.3), followed by Cam Seigfreid (15.9), and JoJo France (15.3). Torian Jenkins and Cody Spaid are not far behind the top three scorers for Pitt-Greensburg as Jenkins averaged 9.5 points-per-game and Cody Spaid sits at 9.4.
La Roche, currently 4-0 against AMCC opponents, has won four of their last five games after dropping four straight to start the season. In conference play, the Redhawks average an AMCC-best 94.0 points per game with an average margin of victory of 22.7 points. AMCC Preseason Player of the Year, junior forward Tyler Frederick, ranks 1st in the conference in rebounds per game (11.4) and second in points per game (18.4), accumulating four double-doubles so far this season. His teammate, senior guard Kennedy Smith, ranks first in the conference in points per game (20.8), 8th in field goal percentage (54.1%) and first in three point percentage (60%). The former AMCC Player of the Week has scored 20 or more points in six of the Redhawks last seven contests, including a 32 point performance against Geneva (11/23). Junior guard Austin Hannes, most recently, has had back-to-back 22 point performances and ranks 10th overall in the conference in points per game (15.8). The deep threat ranks 2nd in the AMCC in three-pointers made per game (2.9). LRU has shot 50% or better from the field in all four wins this season.