THE MATCH-UP
• Just three regular season games remain for Millersville, and six teams are still in the mix for five playoff spots. Only three games separates seventh place from second place. Currently, Millersville has played one more game than the other five teams in playoff contention and is in fourth place, just a half-game behind West Chester (10-8) and 1 1/2 behind East Stroudsburg (11-7). Lock Haven, Shepherd and Kutztown all lurk with 8-10 league records. Shippensburg has already locked up the No. 1 seed. The No. 2 seed gets a first-round bye and a home game in the tournament quarterfinals. The No. 3 and No. 4 seeds get a first-round home game.Â
• Millersville makes its second trip to Shepherd in as many seasons after not playing there from 1993 to 2018. Millersville's last win at Shepherd came in the 1989-90 season. Shepherd has won the last two meetings, but both have been close games. The combined margin of victory for Shepherd in those wins was 11 points.Â
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Khari Williams is coming off a seven-assist performance against Mansfield. His playmaking has jumped significantly lately. He has recorded two or more assists in 12 of the last 13 games and four or more in six of the last eight, averaging 3.8 assists per game over the last 13 games. In the first 12 games of the season, Williams recorded two or more just five times, averaging 1.6 per game. Williams is now second on the team in assists behind
James Sullivan. Sullivan has been consistent with two or more assists in 22 of 25 games played. He's handed out four or more in 10 of the last 12. His 3.8 per game is up to 10th in the PSAC, and his 1.4 assists/turnover ratio is 13th-best.Â
• Sullivan also ranks 15th in the PSAC in steals (1.5 per game). He finished the 2018-19 and 2017-18 seasons ranked 17th. He is four steals away from becoming the first Marauder since hall of famer Charlie Parker (2004-08) to record at least 40 steals in each of his first three seasons.Â
• Millersville has five players with at least 46 attempts (and five of the top six in attempts) shooting better than 80 percent from the free throw line and ranks third in the PSAC at 76.2 percent. That mark is on pace to set the single-season program record of 74.4, which was posted in 2014-15. In the eight games since making just 7-for-12 against Shepherd on Jan. 18, Millersville has made 126-of-152 (82.9 percent).Â
• Millersville is 4-0 the last four times it has made 10 or more 3-pointers and is 8-3 this season when sinking 10 or more.Â
SERIES INFORMATION
Series vs. SU: 8-5
Series Streak: SU, 2
First Meeting: 1966-67 (W, 92-74)
Last Meeting: 2019-20 (L, 72-73)
Last 10 Meetings: Ville, 6-4
Casey Stitzel vs. SU: 0-2
Justin Namolik vs. Millersville: 2-0
SCOUTING THE RAMS
• Shepherd is starting a run at the right time of the season. The Rams have won three in a row and are now 9-4 at home. The Rams have won four of the last five at home with the only loss coming to division-winning Shippensburg. Thomas Lang leads a group of four in double figures with 17.3 points per game. He ranks 11th in the PSAC in scoring average. Converting attempts at 45 percent, Lang is the best 3-point shooter in the PSAC. He also leads all players with 209 attempts and 3.9 makes per game.Â
THE LAST MEETING (Jan. 18, 2020 - Shepherd 73, Millersville 72)
•  Shepherd guard Thomas Lang knocked down a 3-point shot from the corner as the final buzzer expired to beat Millersville by one. Millersville led for the first 38 minutes of play and led by as many as 15 points. The Rams had the ball with 0.9 seconds left, inbounded the ball to Lang, who hit a fadeaway at the buzzer.
Ryan Davis led Millersville with 20 points.Â
LAST 10 MEETINGS
2020 - (at Millersville) - Shepherd 73, Millersville 72
2018-19 (at Shepherd) - Shepherd 81, Millersville 71
1992-93 (at Millersville) - Millersville 113, Shepherd 96
1991-92 (at Shepherd) - Shepherd 85, Millersville 58
1990-91 (at Millersville ) - Millersville 83, Shepherd 81
1989-90 (at Millersville) - Millersville 95, Shepherd 90
1989-90 (at Shepherd) - Millersville 96, Shepherd 72
1987-88 (at Shepherd) - Shepherd 102, Millersville 101
1986-87 (at Millersville) - Millersville 96, Shepherd 68
1985-86 (at Shepherd ) - Millersville 89, Shepherd 67
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