Complete Game Notes

GAME INFORMATION
Millersville (9-4, 5-2 PSAC) at California (Pa.) (5-6, 4-3 PSAC)
Friday, Jan. 11, 2013 - 7:30 p.m.

Millersville at #21 Indiana (Pa.) (9-2, 5-2 PSAC)
Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013 - 7:30 p.m.

MEDIA INFORMATION
Audio Broadcast (MSBN)
Live Stats (CalU) | Live Stats (IUP)

SERIES INFORMATION


GAME NOTES
(1) Millersville is 9-4, matching its best start since 2007-08 and matching its entire 2011-12 single season total. The Marauders last started 5-2 against PSAC opponents since 2007-08. Millersville, however, is relatively untested on the road this season, posting a 2-1 record in true road games and going 0-1 on a neutral floor. The Marauders have played six consecutive home games and has not played on the road since defeating Lock Haven and Clarion on Dec. 1-2. All-time, Coach Fred Thompson's teams are 74-106 on the road and 37-62 on the road in league games. Those numbers are quite skewed because of the last four seasons. From 2008-09 to 2011-12, the Marauders were 10-42 on the road and 7-32 against the PSAC. From 1998-99 to 2007-08, Thompson's teams were 62-63 overall on the road and 30-30 against the league. 

(2) Elijah Obade can stake a claim as one of the top statistical post players in Division II. He leads the nation in rebounding at 13.2 per game, ranks sixth in blocked shots at 3.0 per game and is sixth in double-doubles with seven. No other player in the country ranks in the top 10 in both rebounding and blocks, nevermind all three categories. Only one other player (Jordan Richard of Cal St. L.A.), who ranks first in blocks and 13th in rebounds, ranks in the top 30 in both blocks and rebounding. He is just 24 blocks away from the single season record and has 15 regular season games left on the schedule.

(3) Millersville is one of six teams in the PSAC with at least nine wins, and it has done so despite ranking 10th in the league in scoring offense  and 12th in field goal percentage. The Marauders rely on defense, rebounding and controlling the paint. They are 7-0 when shooting a higher percentage than its opponents and 6-0 when holding teams under 60. The Marauders are also 9-1 when they hold teams under 50 percent shooting, 8-1 when winning the rebounding battle and 9-1 when scoring more points in the paint. 

(4) Millersville, however, has had its share of success against California, winning 8-of-14 meetings under Fred Thompson. One year ago, Millersville was edged 62-60 in overtime at California. Cal's Travon Vann hit a three to tie the game with two seconds left in regulation, and the Vulcans outscored the Marauders 3-1 in OT. Larry Grant, who scored a team-high 15, missed the game-tying free throw with eight seconds left. The game will most certainly be low scoring as the winning score in the last four meeting has been no higher than 71. 

(5) Indiana holds an 18-16 edge in the all-time series and has won the last three meetings and eight of the last 10. On Jan. 7 of last season, Millersville surrendered 54 first-half points and was downed 81-56 at Indiana. Thompson's record is 3-10 against IUP, and the last three losses have been by double figures. Millersville last won at IUP in 2007-08.  The Marauders have averaged just 58.5 points per game over the last four meetings with IUP. 

ABOUT CALIFORNIA
· Bill Brown is among the most successful coaches in Division II, boasting a 326-151 career record with six NCAA Tournament and 12 PSAC Tournament appearances in 16 seasons. Cal is currently below .500 but has nver finished below .500 in Brown's tenure. All six of Cal's losses have been by nine points or fewer and by an average of just 4.5 points. At the same time, only one (Penn State-Fayette) win has been by more than 11 points and the average margin of victory is 6.75 excluding the game against Penn State-Fayette. The Vulcans rank fourth in the PSAC in scoring offense at 74.5 points per game and are third in field goal percentage. A weakness is turnovers, as the Vulcans are committing 18.7 per game. After averaging 8.7 points per game last season, Keith Lowe has emerged as Cal's top offensive player. He's averaging 18.7 points and 4.1 assists while shooting 51.9 percent from the field, 47.6 percent from three and 80.6 percent from the line.

ABOUT INDIANA
·  Joe Lombardi has turned IUP into the class of the PSAC over the last four seasons, winning three consecutive PSAC West crowns and making four straight NCAA appearances. The club was 104-23 over the last four years and is 9-2 this season with another national ranking. IUP ranks 11th in scoring offense but is efficient, hitting 46.1 percent of its shots, shooting nearly 35 percent from three, 75 percent from the line  and ranking third in assist/turnover ratio. It punishes teams on defense, ranking second at 57.8 points per game. No team has scored more than 72 points and no PSAC team has managed more than 65. Only Cheyney, Gannon and Kutztown have shot better than 40 percent in a game against the Crimson Hawks.