ABOUT THE MARAUDERS
• A rivalry game between Millersville and West Chester opens PSAC East play on Saturday. West Chester has won six of eight and Millersville has won four of the last six. Since Dec. 1, Millersville is plus-117, winning three games by 30 or more points while its two losses came by a total of seven points against teams with a combined 19-3 record.
• Historically, the Millersville and West Chester series has been among the most evenly played in the PSAC. Since the close of 2013-14, however, West Chester has won nine in a row including four in a row in Pucillo Gymnasium. That is West Chester's longest win streak in games played at Millersville since 1960-1965. The games at Millersville have been closely contested, though. Last year, West Chester needed a last-second shot from Matt Penacale to win 75-73. The last seven games played in Pucillo have been decided by an average of 6.4 points per game.
• Only five teams in the PSAC--Millersville, Mercyhurst, Shippensburg, IUP and West Chester--rank in the top eight in both scoring offense and scoring defense. Millersville is seventh in offense and fifth in defense. Only four teams--Millersville, IUP, Mercyhurst and Pitt-Johnstown--rank in the top eight in both field goal percentage and field goal percentage defense. What a difference a year makes for the Marauders. Last year, they ranked dead last in the league in field goal percentage defense. This year, the Marauders are 7-0 when holding teams to 72 points or fewer and have held teams to 59 points or fewer in each of the last three wins. Millersville is also 7-0 when holding opponents to .403 shooting or lower. Conversely, the Marauders are 0-5 when allowing 74 or more and they have allowed teams to shoot .495 from the field and .429 from three in the five losses.
• Millersville is among the best in the country and taking care of the ball while also forcing turnovers. Millersville ranks 24th in Division II and third in the PSAC in turnover margin (4.50). Millersville's 18.2 turnovers created per game is second in the league, and the 10.25 steals also ranks second (11th in Division II). Millersville is the only team in the league with three players ranked in the top 10 in steals per game:
Marcus Adkison (5th/2.3),
James Sullivan (7th/2.2) and
Jamal Washington (10th/2.1).
• Freshman
Jaden Faulkner has averaged 18.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 3.3 steals in the last three games.
• Adkison has scored 20 or more 29 times in his career. He's done it just once against West Chester. He scored 26 in the 2017-18 game at Pucillo. He's averaged 13.3 points per game in four career match-ups with West Chester. His overall career average is 17.7. Adkison needs three 3-pointers to be the sixth Marauder with 200 career threes made.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN RAMS
• West Chester is in the midst of a five-game road swing that started on Dec. 8. The Golden Rams are 6-2 since opening the season 2-3. They boast a high-powered offense that has scored 92 and 99 in its last two games and has scored 85 or more in each of the last six wins. While ranking fourth in the PSAC in scoring, West Chester is 12th in field goal percentage and 10th in 3-point field goal percentage. West Chester makes up for the misses by dominating the glass, averaging a PSAC-best 18.3 offensive rebounds per game--out-rebounding teams by 9.5 per game. West Chester is 3-4 on the road this season.
THE LAST MEETING (Jan. 31, 2018 - WCU 107, Millersville 63)
• The 44-point loss for the Marauders came less than a month after Millersville took the nationally-ranked Golden Rams to the buzzer in a 75-73 loss at home. West Chester more than doubled Millersville's made field goals. The Marauders shot 35 percent while West Chester connected on 63.4 percent (45 of 71). Six Golden Rams scored in double figures and the home team piled up 61 points in the second half. West Chester also dominated the glass, holding a 46-25 edge in rebounds. The game stood tied at 13-13 through 10 minutes, but over the next 30 minutes, West Chester made an incredible 40 of 57 shots (.702) including 9 of 15 threes.
Â
