ABOUT THE GAMES

• Millersville men’s basketball is one win away from its first PSAC East title since 2007. The opportunity to win the division on Saturday is fitting, as it is also Senior Day for Coach Casey Stitzel’s first recruiting class that included Caden Najdawi, James Sullivan and D’Marco Suggs, who will be recognized prior to the game. Millersville and East Stroudsburg (which plays at West Chester) are tied for first place, but Millersville’s sweep of ESU gives it the tiebreaker. Millersville could also win the East with an ESU loss to West Chester. Millersville won 10 PSAC East titles between 1985-2007. It has never won a title in the era in which games against the PSAC West counted in the standings. Millersville is also shooting for its 23rd win. Only seven teams in program history has won more games in a season. 

SCOUTING THE MARAUDERS

• Three Millersville seniors are climbing up the Millersville records. James Sullivan ranks 25th in points (1,258), fifth in steals (159) and eighth in threes made (176). Sullivan also needs just two assists to crack the top 10. Sullivan’s 114 games played is sixth all-time, and four of the five players ahead of him are in the hall of fame. Khari Williams ranks 20th in scoring with 1,366 points, and he’s ninth in threes with 161. Caden Najdawi is 29th in points (1,215) and needs five blocks to move into fifth place and 11 rebounds to move into 10th. 
• A fast start is key to Millersville’s success. The Marauders are 20-0 when leading at halftime. Defense and rebounding is also key. Millersville is 20-1 when shooting a higher percentage than its opponent, and 16-0 when out-rebounding its opponent. The Marauders rank third in the PSAC in rebounding and second in rebounding margin. They also rank third in opponent field goal percentage and second in 3-point defense. A big part of Millersville’s offense is getting to the free throw line. The Marauders have shot 24 more free throws than any other team in the PSAC. 
   

SCOUTING THE BALD EAGLES

• Lock Haven is a much-improved team since the last time these two teams met in January. Lock Haven recently won five-straight games, including an OT win over Shippensburg. Lock Haven, however, has dropped its last two games (87-83 to West Chester and 100-81 to East Stroudsburg. The Bald Eagles are 4-8 on the road this season. Lock Haven ranks in the middle of the pack in the PSAC stat rankings, sitting ninth in opponent field goal percentage and 12th in shooting percentage. Millersville holds a significant advantage on the glass as it ranks second in the PSAC in rebounding margin (7.3) while Lock Haven is 16th (-1.6). Five Bald Eagles average between 10.3 and 14.5 points per game. MarkAnthony Fidelis and DaQuan Granberry are both dangerous 3-point shooters, hitting 40.2% and 36.4% respectively. 
   

THE LAST TIME OUT

• Millersville: Millersville 92, West Chester 80 (Feb. 23, 2022) -  The well-rested Marauders were sharp against West Chester, drilling 52.4% of their shots from the field and 47.6% of their threes. They very nearly out-rebounded the No. 1-ranked rebounding team in the PSAC (37-36), and at the defensive end, the Marauders held West Chester without a 3-pointer until nine minutes remaining in the second half. West Chester scored 31 of its 80 points in the final nine minutes of the game, and when that run started, Millersville led 78-49. 
• Lock Haven: East Stroudsburg 100, Lock Haven 81 (Feb. 21, 2022) - ESU closed the final 10 minutes of the first half on a 30-10 run to lead by 14 at the half. DaQuan Granberry and Eli Washington scored 16 points apiece, and Washington added 11 rebounds for a double-double. 
   

SERIES HISTORY VS. LOCK HAVEN

•  Since 1984, Millersville is 19-2 vs. Lock Haven inside Pucillo Gymnasium. The Marauders have won four in a row over the Bald Eagles at home and seven of the last eight overall. Lock Haven’s last win in Pucillo came in 2016, and that was a season in which Millersville went 4-22, and the season before Casey Stitzel arrived as head coach. Stitzel is 7-2 against Lock Haven. Caden Najdawi has performed consistently well against Lock Haven in his career, averaging 13 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. He’s recorded two double-doubles in his last four outings against the Bald Eagles. 
• The Last Meeting vs. Lock Haven - Millersville 71, Lock Haven 49 (Jan. 23, 2022): Caden Najdawi battled through a physical game in the post to lead four Marauders in double figures with 14 points. He also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and blocked two shots. James Sullivan tallied 12 points and seven rebounds and also led the team with seven assists and two steals. Jaden Faulkner scored 10 of his 13 in the first half as Millersville defended its way to a 19-point halftime lead. The Marauders held Lock Haven to just 15 first-half points, and Lock Haven shot 3-of-21 from three in the game.