ABOUT THE MARAUDERS
• Millersville rounds out a three-game home stand Saturday against Mansfield. The Marauders are looking to get back into the win column after a pair of nine-point losses to Shippensburg and West Chester. Millersville has lost three of its last four but all three losses have been by single digits, and Millersville has not allowed more than 77 points in any of those games. Millersville's last four losses have come to teams with a combined 45-13 record (.776).
• Millersville has won two in a row over Mansfield and eight of the last nine dating back to 2013-14. The games, however, have been closely contested. Only one of the last 12 games have been decided by more than nine points. The average margin of victory is just 4.9 points per game since 2012-13. Millersville has won six consecutive home games against Mansfield. Mansfield's last win in Pucillo Gymnasium came in 2012-13. Since home/road records started being tracked in 1983-94, Millersville is 34-7 at home against Mansfield.
Marcus Adkison is among the highest-percentage shooters in Millersville history. He has shot 41.8 percent from three while averaging 17.5 points per game in his career. In four career games against Mansfield, however, he has averaged 14.3 points while shooting 16-of-59 (.271) from the field and 6-of-33 (.182) from three.
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James Sullivan had started all 42 games of his career before Wednesday's game vs. Shippensburg. But coming off the bench, Sullivan hit 5-of-5 shots and both 3-pointers for 12 points. It was the first time in his career Sullivan had hit every shot he took. Sullivan is one of two players on the team with over 400 minutes played (455). He's played 29 or more minutes in every game of 2018-19. The only Marauder with more minutes played over the last two seasons is Adkison.
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Caden Najdawi blocked three shots against Shippensburg, marking the third time this season he has blocked three in game. He ranks fifth in the PSAC in blocks with 1.5 per game. The last time Millersville finished the season with a player ranked in the PSAC's top five was 2012-13 when
Elijah Obade blocked 2.5 per game and won PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year. Najdawi is five away from matching his freshman season total.
• Millersville forced Shippensburg to commit 18 turnovers--the Raiders' second-highest total of the season. Millersville's 18.1 turnovers forced per game ranks second in the PSAC, and it ranks third in turnover margin (4.36). Millersville ranks third in steals (10.14 per game).
SERIES AT A GLANCE
Series vs. Mans: 88-59
Series Streak: Ville, 2
First Meeting: 1903-04 (L, 9-10)
Last Meeting: 2018 (W, 77-71)
Last 10 Meetings: 8-2
Casey Stitzel vs. Mans: 3-1
John Szentesy vs. Millersville: First meeting
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
• John Szentesy is in his first season as the head coach after serving as the team's assistant since 2014. The Mountaineers are in the midst of a nine-game losing streak. Their last (and only) win came by an 83-78 score against Salem University. Four of their last nine losses have been by single digits, but they are coming off a 29-point home loss to West Chester (87-56). Mansfield ranks 16th in the 17-team PSAC in scoring offense (68.4 ppg) and 15th in scoring defense (81.5 ppg). That makes them 18th in scoring margin at -13.2. Three players average in double figures. The group is led by Tyler Moffe's 16.5 points per game.
THE LAST MEETING (Jan. 27, 2018 - Ville 77, Mansfield 71)
• Millersville drilled eight first-half 3-pointers and built a 25 point lead with less than 16 minutes to play but Mansfield put a scare into the home team late. Millersville's lead dwindled to just two points before
Jamal Washington and
Marcus Adkison made two key defensive stops and hit clutch free throws to clinch a 77-71 win for the Marauders. Millersville hit 8 of 11 threes, shot 65.5 percent from the field and build a 48-27 lead at the break. But Millersville made just six total field goals and 1 of 10 threes in the second half.
