[Kutztown Press Release] GOLDEN BEAR MEN'S BASKETBALL TO HOST CHEYNEY IN PSAC QUARTERFINAL

Mon Feb 26 14:37:39 EST 2007

February 26, 2007

GOLDEN BEAR MEN'S BASKETBALL TO HOST CHEYNEY IN PSAC QUARTERFINAL

KUTZTOWN, PA - The Kutztown University men's basketball team (17-10, 6-5 PSC East, #2 seed in East) will host Cheyney (13-14, 6-6 PSAC East, #3 seed in East) in the quarterfinal round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) basketball championship on Tuesday at 7:00 PM.

                The game will be at Kutztown's Keystone Hall.  Tickets will be $7 for adults and $2 for children.  Students from PSAC institutions, with a valid ID, will be admitted free.  By PSAC policy, no complimentary passes will be accepted.

                The game will be broadcast live on the Kutztown University student radio station, KUR.  KUR can be accessed in Kutztown at 88.3 FM, 1670 AM, and on KUTV (Channel 24-Service Electric, Channel 41-Hometown Utilicom).  The game will also be Webcast at kubears.com.

                Kutztown, Cheyney and East Stroudsburg ended the year in a three-way tie for second place in the PSAC East with 6-6 records.  The teams split the season series with each other, so KU earned the #2 seed by virtue of its two wins against PSAC East regular-season champion Millersville (9-3).  Cheyney then took the #3 seed with its five wins against NCAA Division II opponents at .500 or better.  East Stroudsburg had three such wins.  

                Kutztown is making its school-record fifth straight trip to the PSAC playoffs.  KU also has claimed its fifth-consecutive winning season, a first for the program since the 1910s.  

What's at Stake:  A trip to the PSAC semifinals is one the line for the winner.  In Tuesday's other quarterfinals, 

Millersville (#1 East) hosts East Stroudsburg (#4 East), California {PA} (#1 West) hosts Clarion (#4 West), and Edinboro (#2 West) hosts Shippensburg (#3 West).  This year's PSAC Final Four will be held Friday-Saturday, March 2-3, at the highest remaining Western seed. 

KU vs. Cheyney 2006-07:  The teams split the season series, with each team winning on its home court.  

                The Wolves won 76-71 at Cope Hall on Jan. 27.  KU trailed by as many as nine in the second half, before pulling witin three, 65-63, with 3:13 left.  CU put the game out of reach scoring the next five points.  Robbie Simpson led the Wolves with 18 points and nine boards.  Michael Fryer scored 17.  Dawud Morris and Ed Braswell added 11 points apiece.  Dave Ben scored 19 points and grabbed seven boards for Kutztown.  Stephen Dennis notched 16 points, while Sean McKeon added 10.  

                Kutztown erased a 17-point second-half deficit to defeat Cheyney, 73-70, at Keystone Hall on February 17.  McKeon scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead KU.  Nate Edwards and Dennis added 14 points apiece, while Ben scored 13.  Morris scored 22 for CU.  Braswell notched 15 and Tyrone Smith chipped in 10.  

KU vs. Cheyney - History: Since the 2000-01 season, when Driscoll took over at KU, the Golden Bears are 7-7 against the Wolves.  KU is 6-1 at home against CU, including the last three meetings between the teams.  Cheyney's last win at Keystone Hall came on February 2, 2004 (87-82).  

                The teams have met just once before in the PSAC Playoffs,  back in the 1981-82 season.  Cheyney coming out on top 54-40, at the Wolves' Cope Hall.

Scouting the Golden Bears

Probable Starters: G-Dave Ben (so., 6-4, 18.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg), G-Stephen Dennis (fr., 6-4, 15.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.6 apg), G-Nate Edwards (fr., 5-0, 8.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.6 spg), F-Terrance Davis (sr., 6-5, 4.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg), C-Sean McKeon (jr., 6-10, 15.2 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 4.2 bpg)

                Kutztown is in the midst of one of the most successful five-year eras in school history under seventh-year head coach Bernie Driscoll.  He has a record of 95-95 (.500), including an 84-55 (.600) mark since the start of the 2002-03 season.

                This year's team has been involved in one nail biter after another.  Of Kutztown's 27 games, 17 have been decided by six points or less, including each of the last 11 games and all but one PSAC East contest.  Five of Kutztown's games have gone to overtime, with KU holding a 4-1 record in those contests.  

                Ben is having a stellar sophomore season.  He led all PSAC East players, and ranked second overall in the conference, scoring 18.9 points per game.  He set KU's single-season record for free throws made, hitting 146 charity shots this season.  

                McKeon and Dennis complete KU's trio of leading scorers.  They rank ninth in the PSAC in scoring, with identical 15.2 ppg. averages.  

                McKeon leads the PSAC and all NCAA Division II players in blocks per game with 4.22.  His 114 rejections are a school record (breaking Marty Eggleston's 1987-88 record of 108) and are 11 shy of the PSAC record (125, Melvin Hooker, Edinboro, 1979-80).  He also ranks fifth in the league in rebounding (8.8) 

                Dennis, a seven-time PSAC East Rookie of the Week this season, has been an all-around performer this season.  He ranks 16th in the league in rebounding (6.0 rpg), seventh in blocks (1.11 bpg), 10th in assists (3.26), sixth in free throw percentage (78.8%).  He is the only player in the league to rank among the league's top 16 in those categories.

                Edwards and Davis round out KU's starters.  Edwards, who entered the starting lineup after Andre Woodlin's season-ending injury on January 7, ranks fourth in the PSAC in steals (2.26 spg).  

Kutztown in the PSAC Playoffs - History:  Kutztown is 3-9 all time in the PSAC playoffs.  This is KU's fifth straight and ninth overall appearance in the PSAC tournament.  KU is 2-4 in the playoffs under Driscoll. (2002-03: L, West Chester, 74-66; 2003-04: W, Mansfield, 76-72 & W, California {PA}, 91-84 & L, Indiana {PA}, 83-74; 2004-05: L, Mansfield, 95-90; 2005-06: L, Mansfield, 96-73).  KU appeared in the playoffs five other times (1981-82: L, Cheyney, 68-40; 1983-84: L, Millersville, 60-53; 1986-87: L, Bloomsburg, 70-62; 1987-88: W, Lock Haven, 86-84 & L, California {PA}, 73-64; 1998-99: L, West Chester, 75-60).

                All of those games were played away from Keystone Hall.

                Kutztown has advanced to the PSAC semifinals twice (1987-88 and 2003-04), appearing in the PSAC Championship game both times.  Kutztown has won three conference championships (1917, 1919 and 1936), but all three came before the formation of the PSAC in 1951.    

Scouting the Wolves

Probable Starters: G-Ed Braswell (jr., 6-0, 16.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg), F-Dawud Morris (jr., 6-6, 11.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg), G-Michael Fryer (sr., 6-4, 11.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.5 apg), F-Robbie Simpson (so., 6-10, 10.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg), F-Dominque Curry (so., 6-4, 9.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg)

                Cheyney (13-14, 6-6 PSAC East, 5-6 on the road) is led by head coach Cleo Hill Jr., who is in his fourth season with the Wolves (53-56).

                On the floor, CU is led by Braswell in scoring (16ppg), Morris in rebounding (6.8 rpg), Fryer in assists (3.5 apg), and Simpson in field goal percentage (8.4%) and blocks (38).

                Cheyney is coming off of three losses in-a-row to finish up its regular season, including the 73-70 loss to Kutztown on February 17.  The Wolves average 71.5 points per game.

Cheyney in PSAC Playoffs - History:  Cheyney University is 27-14 all time in the PSAC Playoffs dating back to 1961.  In that span they hold 15 championships, more than double that of second place California (7).  However, the last Wolf title came in 1986 and 12 of their crowns came between 1965-80.  The Wolves have also made the most appearances in the playoffs with 29, but make their first since 2004.  Since 2000, Cheyney is 2-4 in playoff games.

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Josh Leiboff
Kutztown University Sports Information
Phone: (610) 683-4182
Fax: (610) 683-4676
Email: leiboff at kutztown.edu
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