THE MATCH-UP
• Millersville is 5-1 inside Pucillo Gymnasium with the lone loss coming in double overtime. Millersville's last six games (3-3 record) have been decided by an average of 5.7.
• Wednesday's game marks the 215th all-time meeting between Millersville and Kutztown. Kutztown is Millersville's oldest and longest-running rivalry, having met each season since 1909. Millersville swept the regular season series in 2018-19 but Kutztown ended Millersville's season in Pucillo Gymnasium in the first round of the PSAC Tournament. In each of the last eight meetings, the winning team has scored at least 81 points. In four regular season games against Kutztown, Najdawi has averaged 16.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. Last season, he scored 24 in the first meeting and then totaled 17 points and 18 rebounds in the second game. However, in the playoff game, he was limited to four points.
• Najdawi has posted four double-doubles this season and has blocked at least one shot in six consecutive games. Najdawi's 1.5 blocks per game rank fourth in the PSAC, and his 8.5 rebounds per game are tied for third.
•
James Sullivan has scored in double figures 10 times this season and has scored 20 or more three times, including a 26-point outburst against East Stroudsburg on Monday. Sullivan's .429 3-point percentage is up to 10th in the PSAC. He also leads the Marauders and ranks 11th in the PSAC in assists with 3.6 while ranking 14th in assist/turnover ratio, 13th in steals (1.5 per game) and fourth in minutes played (35.9). Sullivan has played at least 37 minutes in seven of the last eight games.
• Sophomore
Mekhi Hendricks has averaged 15.3 points per game in the last three games, scoring in double figures in all three. Classmate
Brandon Craig's playing time has increased as well, and his contributions are being made at the defensive end. After averaging just 6.7 minutes per game in the team's first seven games, Craig has averaged 21.2 minutes in the last five. During that time, he has totaled 10 blocked shots and seven steals. In the last two games. Craig has blocked at least two shots in three consecutive games. He also had a career-high four steals against East Stroudsburg.
• He missed two consecutive games but
Justin Nwosu has been a force since returning. Against Shippensburg and East Stroudsburg, Nwosu averaged 19.0 points per game while shooting 16-of-27 (.593) from the field. He also blocked a career-high three shots against East Stroudsburg.
KUTZTOWN GOLDEN BEARS (6-7, 4-3 PSAC)
SERIES INFORMATION
Series vs. KU: 133-81
Series Streak: KU, 1
First Meeting: 1904 (W, 54-14)
Last Meeting: 2019 (L, 70-86)
Last 10 Meetings: 2-8
Casey Stitzel vs. KU: 2-5
Bernie Driscoll vs. Millersville: 23-15
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN BEARS
• Kutztown is coming off of a 77-73 win over Lock Haven and has become accustomed to playing in close games. Each of the last six games have been decided by 10 points or fewer and two of the games went to overtime. Kutztown ranks second in the PSAC in scoring offense (83.5) and is 1-5 when held under 80 points. Its .381 3-point percentage is fourth in the league, and the team gets to the free throw line often. The 305 attempts is second-most in the PSAC and the .761 percentage is second-best. Wesley Butler ranks ninth in the PSAC in scoring average at 18.2 points per game, converting 49.4 percent of his shots and 45.1 percent of his threes. Ryan Bernstein is the team's distributor with 4.1 assists per game. His 2.6 assist/turnover margin is best in the PSAC.
THE LAST MEETING (March 4, 2019 - Kutztown 86, Millersville 70)
• In the PSAC Tournament first round game, Millersville shot a season-low 34.3 percent from the field and scored just 28 points in the second half. Millersville led 54-43 with 16 minutes left but went on to miss 11 consecutive threes.
Justin Nwosu and
Jaden Faulkner scored 21 points apiece for the Marauders.
LAST 10 MEETINGS
3/4/2019 (at Millersville) - Kutztown 86, Millersville 70
2/21/2019 (at Millersville) - Millersville 106, Kutztown 98 (2OT)
1/21/2019 (at Kutztown) - Millersville 94, Kutztown 92
2/14/2018 (at Kutztown) - Kutztown 95, Millersville 81
1/13/2018 (at Millersville) - Kutztown 87, Millersville 77
2/18/17 (at Kutztown) – Kutztown 90, Millersville 78
1/21/17 (at Millersville) - Kutztown 81, Millersville 67
1/30/17 (at Kutztown) - Kutztown 87, Millersville 69
12/1/15 (at Millersville) - Kutztown 69, Millersville 60
2/7/15 (at Millersville) - Kutztown 68, Millersville 63
