Owls Host Framingham in MASCAC Doubleheader on Saturday

WESTFIELD, Mass. – The Westfield State University women's and men's basketball teams will host a doubleheader against conference rival Framingham State University on Saturday with the women's game starting at 12:00 P.M. followed by the men's game at 2:00 P.M. from the Woodward Center in Westfield, Mass.

VIDEO / WOMEN'S LIVE STATS / MEN'S LIVE STATS

Women's Basketball (13-5, 5-2 MASCAC) vs Framingham (9-9, 5-2 MASCAC)

Playoff seeding will be on the line with the Owls and Rams meeting for the second time this season, both sitting in a three-way tie with Salem State for second place in the league standings at 5-2.

Framingham held the upper hand in the first meeting with the Rams protecting home court with a 91-66 win. The Owls were within ten points after three quarters and cut the deficit to three points during the period but were outscored 25-10 in the closing stanza.

Sophomore forward Caroline Galvani (Framingham, Mass.) was the Owls leading scorer, recording 17 points while burying five three-pointers. Tavi Williams (Springfield, Mass.) and Sophia Rockwood (Windsor, Vt.) both added nine points.

Sophomore center Faith Greene was difficult to handle in the interior, racking up 31 points and 19 rebounds (11 offensive rebounds) on 12-20 shooting from the floor. Kiara Cerruti added 21 points, and the Rams dominated the glass, 56-36.

Rockwood and Kayley Downie (Easthampton, Mass.) are two players to watch entering tomorrow's game. Rockwood, a first-year guard, is averaging 11.6 points per game in league contests and has topped double figure scoring in five of her last six games. Downie has found her shooting touch during the conference slate as well and is scoring 12.4 points per game over her last five games, converting multiple three-pointers in each of them.

A trio of Framingham players lead the league in scoring and account for over half the team's points per game. Greene paces the conference at 17.4ppg followed by Jacqueline Schels (15.7), then Cerruti (15.1).

Men's Basketball (14-4, 6-1 MASCAC) vs Framingham (10-8, 3-4 MASCAC)

Westfield State looks to maintain position at the top of MASCAC standings as the Owls are perched in a tie for first place with Worcester State at 6-1. The Rams are looking to bounce back after suffering back-to-back losses, both against conference foes and are in a three-way tie for fourth place in the conference standings at 3-4.

In the first meeting of the season between the two sides, the Owls built a double-digit lead in the second half and were able to hold off a late Framingham comeback effort to win the conference opener 67-62. A.Z. Allah (Springfield, Mass.) was the game's leading scorer with 22 while Xavier Lewis (Long Island, N.Y.) and Jason James (Ansonia, Conn.) both added 14 points.

Fallou Koite led Framingham with 14 points with a pair of threes followed by Joshua Saint Jean with a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. Dyree Rogers also logged an 11-point and 12-rebound double-double.

Westfield has gotten elite play from sophomore forward Kenney Rogers (Springfield, Mass.) over his last four games. He was named the MASCAC Player of the Week after averaging 29.5 points per game, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in consecutive wins last week. He continued his hot shooting stretch with 21 points in an 84-72 victory at Fitchburg on Wednesday and is scoring 26.3ppg on 52.5 percent shooting from the field across the Owls last four games, all of which have been conference wins.

Lewis has also ramped up his scoring efforts as of late, averaging 19.4ppg on a blistering 61.1 percent shooting (11-18) from three-point range over his last five games.

For the Rams, Rogers leads the team in scoring at 16.0 points per game and is coming off a 21-point outing against Anna Maria. Koite is close behind with 15.7 points and has lit up the scoreboard to the tune of 33-point and 39-point efforts in his recent games versus Bridgewater and Anna Maria.