Mike Gallagher

Women's Basketball 12/27/2018 11:00:00 AM Chris Slack, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Fighting Scots Host Former PSAC Foe Cheyney to Wrap Up 2018

The Game Story

Edinboro returns from the holiday break to host Cheyney in its fourth consecutive home contest on Saturday, December 29, at 1:00 p.m. The game will be the Fighting Scots final game of the 2018 calendar year. It will also be the first meeting against the Wolves since their exit from the PSAC at the end of the 2017-18 season.
The Fighting Scots head into the weekend at 6-2 overall and 3-1 in the PSAC West. Edinboro is also ranked seventh in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region poll.
Prior to the break, The Scots picked up an 80-48 win over Mansfield on December 18, followed by an 89-65 conference victory over Lock Haven the next day. Due to the PSAC's balanced scheduling with the Eastern Division one team short of the Western Division this season, the Fighting Scots game vs. Mansfield did not count towards their conference record.
Edinboro has faced injuries over the past few weeks, as forwards Ciara Rosten and Allison Thompson have missed the previous three games due to injury. In their absences, three Fighting Scots have posted career-numbers.
Against the Bald Eagles, redshirt junior Bridgette Shaffer scored a career-high 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for her third double-double of the campaign. The 5'8" guard/forward shot 7-of-10 from the field, including 5-of-7 on 3-pointers, and made 2-of-4 free throws. That led to Shaffer earning PSAC West Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week honors for the first time in her career.
In the win over Mansfield, Jontay Walton recorded a career-high 28 points, making 6 3's, dishing out eight assists, and recording six steals. In Edinboro's 93-89 overtime home-opening win over East Stroudsburg, junior Michaela Barnes set three school records with 42 points, 19 made free throws, and 24 free throws attempted in a game. Barnes received PSAC West Women's Basketball Co-Athlete of the Week accolades for her performance.
The Fighting Scots finished with a 27-4 record a year ago, winning the PSAC championship and advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional. Four starters return from that squad. All-American Ciara Rosten leads the way. The 6'2" senior was an honorable mention WBCA All-American, while also being named the PSAC West Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. In addition to Rosten, Jontay Walton was a first team All-PSAC West choice, while Michelle Jahn and Michaela Barnes were second team selections.
Edinboro is averaging 79.0 ppg., which ranks third in the PSAC and 19th in Division II. The Fighting Scots are allowing 68.0 ppg., for seventh in conference play. Cheyney is scoring 48.5 ppg., and is giving up 80.5 ppg.

On the Radio/Video

The Edinboro-Cheyney game can be heard on WFSE-FM 88.9, with Madi Gross providing the commentary.

All-Time Series vs. Cheyney

Edinboro leads 18-8
First Meeting – 1974-75 – Edinboro 69, Cheyney 67 OT
Last Meeting: 2017-18 – Edinboro 87, Cheyney 46
Current Streak: Edinboro has won 16 consecutive meetings, dating back to the 1989-90 campaign.
Wheeler vs. Mansfield: 0-0

Last Meeting
December 9, 2017 -- Edinboro 87, Cheyney 46 at Cheyney, Pa. BOX SCORE | RECAP

Edinboro outscored Cheyney, 50-22 in the second half, winning its 16th consecutive meeting over Cheyney, 87-46. The Fighting Scots took advantage of a 22-2 run that started in the second quarter and extended into the third stanza. Edinboro never trailed in the contest.
Edinboro shot 44.6 percent (29-of-65) for the game, but connected on 55.2 percent (16-of-29) of their field goals over the final 20 minutes. Cheyney made 26.1 percent (18-of-69) of its baskets, but were held to a 22.0 percent clip (9-of-41) in the second half. At the charity stripe, the Fighting Scots shot 23-of-32, and made 14 more free throws than the Wolves (9-for-11).
The Scots held advantages on the glass (51-41), in points in the paint (36-20), and in fast break points (14-2).
Four Fighting Scots scored in double figures, with Ciara Rosten and Michelle Jahn leading all players with 17 points apiece. Rosten also grabbed 11 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. Jontay Walton contributed 16 points, while Michaela Barnes added 11 points.
Briana Hedgepeth led Cheyney with 12 points. Yasmine Dorrielan grabbed 13 boards and blocked five shots.

Head Coach Callie Wheeler (Edinboro '06) -- 6-2, 1st year

Callie Wheeler was officially named Edinboro's fifth head coach on May 23, 2018, replacing long-time head coach Stan Swank. The former Edinboro standout served as Swank's assistant coach for the previous 11 years before assuming the head coaching duties. Edinboro enjoyed great success during Wheeler's 11 seasons at Swank's side, posting a 239-86 record in her 11 seasons on the bench. That includes a string of eight straight 20-win seasons, including last year when the Fighting Scots ended the season with a 27-4 record. Edinboro won its fourth PSAC Championship in her 11 years and went on to reach the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional semifinals. It marked the fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in her tenure as assistant coach, including a trip to the Elite Eight in 2013-14.
Any doubts of Wheeler's ability to take over as head coach were alleviated when Wheeler filled in for a pair of games in late January last year. With Swank away from the team for his father's funeral, Wheeler guided the Fighting Scots to a 74-52 win at Slippery Rock, followed by a 73-54 victory over a Mercyhurst team, which had defeated California (Pa.) in its previous game.
Wheeler played for the Fighting Scots from 2002-06, and ranks as one of the all-time greatest players in Edinboro history. She became Edinboro's sixth Kodak/WBCA All-American as she earned honorable mention All-American honors. That capped a brilliant senior season in which she was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Year and was a first team All-PSAC West selection. In addition, she was selected as the Nancy Acker Award winner in 2006.
The 5'5" guard finished as Edinboro's second-leading scorer at 12.5 ppg. as a senior, and also added 5.1 rpg. More importantly, she set a school record with 249 assists while turning the ball over just 89 times. She led the PSAC in both assists and steals, finishing with 95 in the latter category.
Edinboro had had just one triple-double in its history prior to 2005-06, when Wheeler accomplished the fete twice. The first came against Seton Hill (20 points, 11 rebounds, 14 assists), followed by 29 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in her final home appearance vs. Shippensburg.
As a junior, Wheeler earned second team All-PSAC West accolades after averaging 10.4 ppg. and handing out 225 assists, along with recording 91 steals. The assists ranks third all-time. She led the Fighting Scots to a 21-10 record that season, along with the team's first berth in the NCAA Division II Playoffs since 1998.
Wheeler likely ranks at the top in a long line of standout point guards at Edinboro. While not taking over as the starter until her junior season, she concluded her career with 682 assists, despite missing the final seven games of the 2003-04 campaign due to an injury. That figure is second all-time in the PSAC. In addition, Wheeler finished with 283 career steals, a figure which ranks fourth all-time at Edinboro. She fell just shy of reaching 1,000 points for her career, finishing with 932.
The Iorfido name (Wheeler's maiden name) is well known in Edinboro Athletics, where her family has had quite an impact. Her father, Rich, was a standout linebacker for the Edinboro football team from 1970-72, and was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in April 2007. Callie joined her father as a member of the Edinboro Hall of Fame in October 2016. Younger sister Mandie was a standout catcher on the softball team, and a two-time All-PSAC West performer.

Scouting the Fighting Scots

Edinboro returns to play following a 10-day break against Cheyey to mark the fourth game of a five-game homestand. The Fighting Scots come in with a 6-2 record and 3-1 mark in the PSAC West, following a 89-65 PSAC crossover win over Lock Haven on December 19, and a 80-48 victory against Mansfield the day prior. Edinboro is also ranked seventh in the latest D2SIDA Atlantic Region poll.
The Fighting Scots began PSAC play with a 91-72 win over West Chester, the PSAC East favorites on December 1, before a 70-62 road loss at Bloomsburg the next day to wrap up a five-game road trip. The Fighting Scots then returned to McComb Fieldhouse on December 8, as they defeated East Stroudsburg in their first home contest of the campaign with a 93-89 overtime victory.
The Fighting Scots have been limited at the forward spot over the past three games, as Ciara Rosten and Allison Thompson have been out due to injury. In their absence, three Fighting Scots have had scored new career-highs.
In Edinboro's last game vs. Lock Haven, Bridgette Shaffer set a new career-high with 21 points and brought down 12 rebounds for her third double-double of the year. She shot 7-of-10 overall, including 5 3-pointers. Shaffer received PSAC West Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week honors for helping Edinboro to an 89-65 win over the Bald Eagles. The day before, the Fighting Scots hosted Mansfield. Jontay Walton led all players with a career-high 28 points. The 5'6" guard made 6-of-11 3-pointers, passed out eight assists, and had six steals. Edinboro's 80-48 win over the Mountaineers did not count towards its conference record due to there being one less team in the Eastern Division.
In their first home game of the season vs. East Stroudsburg, Michaela Barnes helped Edinboro comeback from a nine-point fourth quarter deficit by scoring 19 of her 42 points in the frame, including a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in the contest, which tied the game at 75-75. Barnes was named PSAC West Women's Basketball Co-Athlete of the Week, as the 5'5" guard set three new program records with 42 points, 19 free throws made, and 24 free throws attempted.
Edinboro looks to extend a streak of eight straight seasons with 20-or-more wins. During that period, the Fighting Scots own a 193-50 record. They won their fifth PSAC championship a year ago, and fourth since 2011.
The Fighting Scots feature four returning All-PSAC performers, led by Ciara Rosten. The 6'2" senior was named to three All-American teams a year ago. She earned WBCA honorable mention All-American accolades, along with being named a D2CCA second team All-American and third team Division II Bulletin All-American. In addition, she was selected the D2CCA Atlantic Region Player of the Year, and the PSAC Athlete of the Year and Defensive Athlete of the Year. Rosten is a preseason Division II Bulletin honorable mention All-American. Rosten missed Edinboro's previous three games due to injury. In the Fighting Scots' first five contests, she averaged 14.4 ppg. and 9.2 rpg., and had double-doubles against Virginia State and Wheeling Jesuit. She currently ranks second in career blocks (177) and 14th in career rebounds (615), along with eighth in career rebounds per game (9.3). She has scored 919 points in two-plus seasons.
Jontay Walton joined Rosten as a first team All-PSAC West selection after leading the Fighting Scots in scoring (16.5 ppg.), assists (132), and steals (73) a year ago. She ranks second on the team in scoring with 18.8 ppg., which ranks eighth in the PSAC. Her team-high 40 assists rank seventh in the conference, but with 5.0 apg., she ranks third third in league play and 27th nationally. In addition, she ranks second in the PSAC and 20th in the country with 3.0 steals per game, and is 49-of-60 on her free throws. Walton is also chasing 1,000 career points with 968 career points in two-plus seasons.
Michaela Barnes and Michelle Jahn were accorded second team All-PSAC West honors a year ago. After earning PSAC West Freshman of the Year honors in 2016-17, Barnes was the MVP of last year's PSAC Tournament. The 5'5" junior ended the year third on the team in scoring at 14.2 ppg., while finishing fourth on the team in assists (65) and third in steals (36). Barnes currently leads the Fighting Scots offensively, averaging 19.0 ppg. That ranks seventh in the PSAC. She has scored in double figures in six straight games and has also passed out five assists in three consecutive contests.
A year ago, Jahn finished fourth on the team in scoring at 12.9 ppg. The 5'7" senior is one of the top 3-point threats in the PSAC, making 64-of-182 (35.2 pct.) from beyond the arc. She is averaging 13.3 ppg. and has made 19-of-54 3-pointers. Jahn went over 1,000 career points in last year's PSAC playoff game vs. California(Pa.), and currently ranks 22nd in career scoring with 1,174 points. Over her career, she's made 215 3-pointers, which third-best in program history. Jahn also ranks fourth in 3-pointers attempted (603), and seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (.357).
Bridgette Shaffer has been a difference maker for the Fighting Scots as a starter over the past five games and with the absence of Ciara Rosten and Allison Thompson. During the stretch, the 5'8" guard/forward has scored 10.8 ppg. and has brought down 8.8 rpg. Prior to becoming a starter, she had only scored double-digits and brought down double-figure rebounds on two occasions.

Scouting the Wolves

Cheyney is coming off an 11-day break, following a 77-49 loss at Pitt-Johnstown on December 18. The Wolves are 0-13 overall and are in their first year as an independent, after exiting the PSAC at the end of the 2017-18 season.
Tammy Bagby is in her third season as head coach. In her time at Cheyney, she's posted a 12-52 mark. Bagby began her coaching career at Clark Atlanta, and has also made stops at Morgan State, Tennessee State, and Jackson State.
While the Wolves are winless, they have faced a tough schedule. This includes contests against two Division I opponents (Delaware State and Norfolk State) and have played five games against teams that competed in the 2018 NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional (California(PA), Indiana(PA) 2x, Virginia State, and Virginia Union).
Senior Marlon Herring leads the Wolves offensively, averaging 15.3 ppg. The 5'11" forward is also the team's top rebounder with 9.8 rpg. Against the Mountain Cats, Herring finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds for her third double-double this season. She also had five steals.
Junior Gianni Hill also ended the game in double figures. The 5'5" guard added 13 points, grabbed six boards and passed out five assists. She ranks second on the team in points at 10.8 ppg.

Next for the Fighting Scots

The Fighting Scots open the 2019 calendar year hosting nationally-ranked California(PA) on Wednesday, January 2 at 5:30 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#2 Michaela Barnes: G; 5' 6"; Sophomore

#5 Jontay Walton: G; 5' 5"; Redshirt Junior

#2 Michaela Barnes: G; 5' 5"; Junior

#20 Michelle Jahn: G; 5' 7"; Senior

#15 Ciara Rosten: F; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior

#1 Bridgette Shaffer: G/F; 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior

#32 Allison Thompson: F; 5' 11"; Senior

#5 Jontay Walton: G; 5' 6"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

#2 Michaela Barnes
: 5' 6"; Sophomore
: G

#5 Jontay Walton
: 5' 5"; Redshirt Junior
: G

#2 Michaela Barnes
: 5' 5"; Junior
: G

#20 Michelle Jahn
: 5' 7"; Senior
: G

#15 Ciara Rosten
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior
: F

#1 Bridgette Shaffer
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior
: G/F

#32 Allison Thompson
: 5' 11"; Senior
: F

#5 Jontay Walton
: 5' 6"; Graduate Student
: G

Edinboro University Athletics

Scoreboard

Scoreboard

Fighting Scots Host Former PSAC Foe Cheyney to Wrap Up 2018

Players Mentioned

#2 Michaela Barnes

#5 Jontay Walton

#2 Michaela Barnes

#20 Michelle Jahn

#15 Ciara Rosten

#1 Bridgette Shaffer

#32 Allison Thompson

#5 Jontay Walton

Players Mentioned

#2 Michaela Barnes

#5 Jontay Walton

#2 Michaela Barnes

#20 Michelle Jahn

#15 Ciara Rosten

#1 Bridgette Shaffer

#32 Allison Thompson

#5 Jontay Walton