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

Mon Mar 3 16:04:53 EST 2008

March 3, 2008
GOLDEN BEAR MEN'S BASKETBALL TO HOST MILLERSVILLE IN PSAC QUARTERFINAL
KUTZTOWN, Pa. - The Kutztown University men's basketball team (19-8, 10-2 PSAC East, No. 2 seed in East) will host Millersville (19-8, 8-4 PSAC East, No. 3 seed in East) in the quarterfinal round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship tournament on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
                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 available via Webcast at kubears.com.
                Kutztown and Cheyney ended the year in a two-way tie for first place in the PSAC East with 10-2 records.  The teams split the season series with each other, so Cheyney earned the No. 1 seed by virtue of its season series sweep of third-place Millersville.
                Kutztown's PSAC East co-championship is the team's first division title since 1988, when the team also went 10-2.  That year, the Golden Bears advanced to the PSAC Championship game.
                Kutztown is making its school-record sixth straight trip to the PSAC playoffs.  It is the longest active streak among PSAC East teams and second longest in the league.  Edinboro has appeared in the PSAC playoffs each of the last eight years.  KU also has claimed its sixth-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, Cheyney (No. 1 East) hosts East Stroudsburg (No. 4 East) at 7 p.m., Edinboro (No. 1 West) hosts Indiana {Pa.} (No. 4 West) at 7 p.m., and California {Pa.} (No. 2 West) hosts Clarion (No. 3 West) at 8 p.m.  This year's PSAC Final Four will be held Friday-Saturday, March 7-8, at the highest remaining Eastern seed.
KU vs. Millersville 2006-07: The teams split the season series, with each team winning on its home court.  The Golden Bears won 78-60 at Keystone Hall on Jan. 23.
The Golden Bears limited the Marauders to 34 percent shooting (23-for-68), including a dismal 1-for-18 from 3-point range.  Andre Woodlin scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.  Jeremy Coombs had 13 points, while Stephen Dennis notched 13.  For Millersville, Reggie Bates scored 21 points, Charlie Parker added 18 and Bernard Brown chipped in 14.
Millersville returned the favor on Feb. 20, downing Kutztown 80-67 at Pucillo Gymnasium.  Bates scored 29 points to lead the Marauders.  Parker added 14 and Brown scored 13.  RayQuan Miles had 11 points and 13 rebounds.  Dave Ben scored 29 points for KU, while Nate Edwards had 13.  Ryan Washington grabbed 18 rebounds.  KU led by one at halftime and trailed by just four with 5:$8 left, but Bates hit two key baskets during 6-2 run that sealed the win.  The Bears were plagued by 26 turnovers in their first loss to Millersville since 2005.
KU vs. Millersville - History: Since the 2000-01 season, when Driscoll took over at KU, the Golden Bears are 7-9 vs. the Marauders.  Kutztown had won six straight over Millersville, prior to MU's win on Feb. 20.  KU has won the last three meetings between the teams at Keystone Hall.  Millersville's last win at KU came on Feb. 2, 2005 (81-73), which was also the last win for MU before KU's six-game winning streak in the series.
                The teams have met just once before in the PSAC Playoffs, back in the 1983-84 season.  Millersville won that first-round contest, 60-53.
Scouting the Golden Bears
Probable Starters: G-Stephen Dennis (so., 6-5, 17.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.9 apg, 2.4 spg), G-Dave Ben (jr., 6-4, 17.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.4 apg), G-Andre Woodlin (jr., 6-3, 13.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.1 apg), F-Ryan Washington (r-fr., 6-7, 8.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 3.2 apg), F-Jeremy Coombs (so., 6-7, 6.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
                Kutztown is in the midst of one of the most successful eras in school history under eighth-year head coach Bernie Driscoll.  He has a record of 114-104 (.523), including a 103-65 (.613) mark since the start of the 2002-03 season.
                This year's team has won 19 games, second most in school history (21, 1987-88), and had 10 PSAC East wins, tied for most ever in school history (1987-88 and 1961-62).   The Golden Bears started the year 1-3, before rattling off 11 wins in 13 games.  KU had a six-game winning streak, including a 4-0 start in PSAC East play.  The streaks were halted in consecutive games, with a non-conference setback at the Univ. of District of Columbia followed by the loss to Cheyney in front of a season-high 1700 fans at Keystone Hall.  KU bounced back, finishing the year by winning seven of eight, including one of the program's biggest victories in years, a 79-71 win at Cheyney on Feb. 23.
                KU features the top 1-2-3 scoring punch in the PSAC.  Stephen Dennis (so. West Chester/Henderson) and Dave Ben (jr. Coatesville/Coatesville) rank fifth and sixth in the league in scoring, while Andre Woodlin (jr. Philadelphia/Central) ranks 13th.  No other team in the league has three players ranked in the top 20.
                Dennis has had a remarkable sophomore season.  He is averaging 17.1 points, shooting 45 percent from the floor (153-for-340) and 75 percent from the line (111-for-147).  He also averages 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.4 steals per game, while chipping in a team-high 41 blocked shots.  He was slowed by an injury suffered in the first meeting vs. Millersville, which caused him to miss two games.  In the first six games after returning, Dennis averaged just 11.2 points.  In the three games since, he's averaging 18.7.
                Ben is having just as remarkable a junior campaign.  He is averaging an even 17.0 points, shooting 41.1 percent from the floor (138-for-336) with 40 three pointers and 109-for-158 from the line (69 percent).  Ben adds 5.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.  He has steadily climbed KU's career scoring list, now ranking seventh with 1,326 points.
                Woodlin has made a strong comeback after suffering a season-ending leg injury 11 games into the 2006-07 season.  Called the "heart and soul" of the team by the coaching staff, Woodlin averages 13.5 points, shooting 46 percent from the floor (132-for-287). He adds 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.   He is the only player to start all 27 games this season.  Last year, Woodlin suffered a leg injury against Clarion, a game in which KU won to start the year 11-2.  Without Woodlin, Kutztown was 6-9 the rest of the season.
                Sixth man Nate Edwards (so. Philadelphia/North Catholic) rounds out KU's double-digit scoring leaders.  He chips in 10.8 points per game, including 37 three pointers.  He also adds 2.4 assists and 1.9 steals per game.
                Ryan Washington (r-fr. Glenside/Wissahickon) has been a welcome addition to the team since the semester break.  A transfer from Indiana (Pa.), where he redshirted in 2006-07, Washington averages 8.9 points and a team-high 7.4 rebounds per game.  He shoots 51.6 percent from the floor (64-for-124).  His stellar court vision is evident in his 3.2 assists per game.
                Jeremy Coombs (so. Philadelphia/Northeast Catholic) rounds out KU's starting lineup.  He averages 6.1 points, shooting 52.6 percent from the floor (61-for-116).  Coombs nets 4.3 rebounds per game.   Coombs saw limited action as a freshman last year, and had elected not to come out for the team in the pre-season.  However, after KU's backup center left the team in the preseason, Coombs returned to the squad.  He then entered the starting lineup when KU's starting center left the squad in December.
Kutztown in the PSAC Playoffs - History:  Kutztown is 3-10 all time in the PSAC playoffs.  This is KU's sixth straight and ninth overall appearance in the PSAC tournament.  KU is 2-5 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; 2006-07: L, Cheyney,79-63).  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).
Tuesday's game is just the second-ever playoff game at Keystone Hall.  Last year's loss to Cheyney was the first home PSAC Playoff game for the Golden Bear men.
                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 Marauders
Probable Starters: F-Reggie Bates (jr. 6-5, 19.3 ppg., 5 rpg.), G- Charlie Parker (sr. 6-4, 16.1 ppg. 5.3 rpg.), F-Bernard Brown (jr. 6-6, 10.1 ppg, 7 rpg.), G- Cory Bray (fr. 5-9, 6.1 ppg) C- RayQuan Miles (sr. 6-6, 6.0 ppg., 6.7 rpg.)

                Millersville is led by tenth year head coach Fred Thompson, who has compiled a 180-102 record in his time leading the Marauders. In his tenure at Millersville, Thompson has captured two PSAC Championships, including the 2003 and 2007 titles.  Last season he guided Millersville to a 28-5 record, which included the longest winning streak in school history (16 games).

                Millersville's offensive attack is led by two prolific scorers, swingman Reggie Bates and guard Charlie Parker.

Bates is the second leading scorer in the conference, averaging 19.3 points per game. He also chips in 5.0 rebounds and has connected on 42 3-pont field goals.

Parker, the 2006-07 PSAC East Athlete of the Year, is the ninth leading scorer in the conference with his 16.1 points a contest. He also has averages of 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.6 steals per contest.

Forward Bernard Brown is Millersville's leading rebounder, averaging 7.0 boards per contest, and also leads the team in blocks (1.8).

Point guard Cory Bray and forward RayQuan Miles round out the starting lineup.  Bray averages 6.1 points and has connected on 40 3-pointers.  Miles has grabbed 6.7 rebounds per game and chips in 6.0 points per contest.

Millersville enters Tuesday's contest after securing the third seed in the PSAC tournament with a 67-37 defeat of West Chester on Saturday. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak, as it fell to East Stroudsburg 73-70 on Feb. 23 and Cheyney 77-69 on Feb. 27.

Millersville in the PSAC playoffs- Millersville enters the 2007-08 PSAC tournament as the defending champions. Last season, Millersville defeated East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, and Cheyney en route to the conference title, its fifth in school history. Millersville has made it to the championship game in three of the last five seasons, falling in the championship game in 2005 to Edinboro, and defeating California in 2003 for the crown.  The loss in the 2005 title game is Millersville's only playoff setback since 2003 (8-1).  The Marauders are 16-14 all-time in the PSAC playoffs, including an 8-4 record under Thompson.

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Josh Leiboff
Kutztown University Sports Information
Phone: (610) 683-4182
Fax: (610) 683-4676
Email: leiboff at kutztown.edu
Website: http://www.kubears.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.kutztown.edu/pipermail/press-release/attachments/20080303/434d471c/attachment.html 