Complete Game Notes

GAME INFORMATION
Millersville (3-2) at Lock Haven (2-1)
Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012 - 3 p.m.
Thomas Fieldhouse, Lock Haven, Pa.

Millersville at Clarion (1-2)
Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012 - 3 p.m.
Tippin Gymnasium, Clarion, Pa.

MEDIA INFORMATION
Audio Broadcast (MSBN)

Lock Haven Video
Lock Haven Live Stats

Clarion Live Stats

SERIES INFORMATION
Millersville vs. LHU: 54-16
Series Streak: MU, 11
First Meeting: 1912 (MU 51, LHU 21)
Last Meeting: 2011 (MU 66, LHU 43)
Last 10: MU, 10-0
Fred Thompson vs. LHU: 12-1
Mike Nestor vs. Ville: 0-1

Millersville vs. CU: 8-8
Series Streak: CU, 2
First Meeting: 1951 (CU 50, MU 49)
Last Meeting: 2011 (CU 77, MU 71)
Last 10: MU, 6-4
Fred Thompson vs. CU: 6-5
Ron Righter vs. Ville: 6-6

THE STARTING FIVE
(1) Millersville is riding a three-game winning streak and has an opportunity to extend the streak to four for the first time since the 2007-08 club won five in a row from Feb. 2-Feb. 20. The recent run has been all about an improved defense. After allowing 174 points in the opening two losses, the Marauders allowed no more than 55 points and held the three opponents to 45.0 points per game (135 total points) and 30.8 percent shooting in the three victories. It's the fewest points allowed over a three-game span since the 2001-02 team held West Chester, East Stroudsburg and Mansfield to a combined 134 points.  Even with a rocky start, the Marauders rank fourth in the PSAC in scoring defense, sixth in scoring margin, fourth in 3-point field goal defense and eighth in field goal percentage defense.

(2) Elijah Obade's 19 rebounds against Penn State Harrisburg were the most by a Marauder in more than a decade and over the last five seasons, only five PSAC players have recorded more rebounds in a game. Obade led the PSAC last season with 9.8 per game and is again ranked first with 13.8 per game. Since 1970, the highest average by a Marauder over the course of a season was MU Hall of Famer John Fox's 11.4 in 1983-84. Obade has played only 53 games in a Millersville uniform but has totaled 432 boards for an average of 8.2 per game. That average would be the eighth-best in school history. He's grabbed double-digit boards in four of five games this season and in 13 of the last 16 dating back to Jan. 21, 2012.

(3) Obade is also a difference maker on defense. His 2.2 blocks per game is tops in the PSAC. He matched a career high with four blocks against Penn State Harrisburg and has 67 blocks in his last 31 games (2.2 per game). With 81 for his career, Obade needs 37 more to crack Millersville's all-time top five. It's all the more impressive considering he totaled just 14 in his first 22 games. Among PSAC players, only Blake Vedder of IUP is averaging more than 2.0 per game this season.

(4) If there was a PSAC Sixth Man of the Year Award, Xavier Mumford would be in contention. Mumford has scored 14 points in each of his last two games and has done it with remarkable accuracy. He's hit 16 of his 18 shots this season for a PSAC-best field goal percentage of .889. No other player with at least 18 attempts is shooting better than .694. He also ranks second on the team in rebounding (6.4) and blocks with three.

(5) Millersville has had its way with Lock Haven, winning 54 of 70 meetings and 11 in a row. LHU's last win over the Marauders came by a 74-71 score on Dec. 21, 2000. Clarion and Millersville have been evenly matched with eight wins apiece. Each of the last five meetings have been decided by less single digits.

ABOUT LOCK HAVEN
·    Mike Nestor enters his second season at Lock Haven after a long tenure as an assistant at Shippensburg. His first season was a trying one as the Bald Eagles posted an 0-25 record. Fortunes have turned quickly for his club, though. It is off to a 2-1 start with winning margins of 20-plus points against Salem International and Penn State Wilkes-Barre. The lone loss was 86-76 to Chestnut Hill. Only five players from last year's team are on this year's roster. Newcomer Kasheef Festus has made an immediate impact, winning the Wolf Bus Lines Classic MVP award and the first PSAC West Athlete of the Week honor. The 6-5, 245-pound junior is averaging 20 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. Wali Hepburn has also added scoring, averaging 19.7 points per game. He also leads the team with 18 assists. Ranking third and fourth in the PSAC in scoring, Festus and Hepburn are the league's highest-scoring duo.

ABOUT CLARION
·    Like Millersville, Clarion opened the season with two closes losses. The margin of defeat in the two losses was a total of three points. The Golden Eagles bounced back with a 77-67 win over Houghton. Clarion has struggled shooting, connecting on just 11-of-56 3-pointers (.196). The team's 63.3 points per game ranks last in the PSAC. Clarion, however ranks third in scoring defense, holding opponents to 61.0 points per game.  Mike Kromka is among the best rebounders in the league, ranking fifth with an average of 12.0 per game. He's especially effective on the offensive glass where he has totaled 19 of his 36 boards. Kromka, Leonard Patterson and Calvin Edwards are all returning starters, and Anthony Baker (10.0 ppg) was Lock Haven's leading scorer with 11.6 points per game a season ago.