ABOUT THE GAMES

• Millersville and Mercyhurst meet for the first time in the postseason, and a trip to the PSAC Tournament championship game is on the line. The Marauders are in the semifinals for the first time since 2008 and are looking for their first trip to the title game since they won it all in 2007. Millersville won tournament titles in 1987, 1989, 1993, 2003, and 2007, and also reached the championship game 1985, 1990 and 2005. This is the third-straight semifinals appearance for Mercyhurst. The Lakers have reached the title game twice (2016, 2019), winning its lone PSAC Championship in 2016. Millersville is 2-3 in the PSAC Tournament in its four appearances under Coach Casey Stitzel, improving by one step each year. The Marauders went from reaching the playoffs, to hosting a first-round game, to reaching the quarterfinals, and now are in the semis in the four-year span. 

SCOUTING THE MARAUDERS

• Millersville could add a fourth 1,000-point scorer to its lineup as Justin Nwosu enters the game with 982. Khari Williams, James Sullivan and Caden Najdawi have already reached that milestone and rank among the top 30 scorers in program history. While Millersville has played lineups throughout its long history that included four current and eventual 1,000-point scorers, it has never had four current 1,000 points on the floor at the same time. 
• Millersville enters the semifinals ranked among PSAC’s best defensive clubs. The Marauders ranked fifth in scoring defense (68.9), third in field goal percentage (.406) and first in the league and seventh in Division II in 3-point field goal percentage (.290). Millersville also ranks seventh nationally in total rebounds, fourth in defensive rebounds and 17th in rebounding margin. Stunningly, Millersville is 18-0 when out-rebounding and opponent and 16-0 when recording 40 or more rebounds. There is a common thread in Millersville’s 25 wins and five losses. Only six teams shot over 38% from three against Millersville all season. Four of those teams beat Millersville, and another (Mansfield), took the Marauders to overtime. Millersville allowed 42.1% shooting from three in the five losses compared to 26.1% in the 25 victories. 
• That makes the Millersville-Mercyhurst match-up fascinating as the Lakers rank second in the PSAC in both 3-point shooting (.376) and threes made (245). Four Lakers have made at least 22 threes and four of those five shoot at least 39.6%. Where Millersville appears to have an advantage is on the glass. Mercyhurst has been out-rebounded 15 times and were even or out-rebounded in four of five losses. Millersville is 20-1 when holding teams to fewer than 80 points, and Mercyhurst has scored under that mark just 12 times--going 7-5 in those games.
   

SCOUTING THE LAKERS

• Mercyhurst has been among the most dominant teams in the PSAC this season, holding the second-best scoring differential at 16.2 per game. It is a gifted offensive and efficient offensive club that ranks second in team field goal percentage (.478), second in 3-point shooting (.376), third in free throw shooting (.744) and first in turnover margin (8.0). Mercyhurst forces more turnovers than any other team in the league (18.1) and commits fewer (10.1) than any other team. MiyKah McIntosh leads the team with 16.8 points per game and has made the second-most threes in the PSAC. McIntosh is eighth in the league in steals, and Nicholas Lang ranks third (2.0). 
   

THE LAST TIME OUT

• Millersville: Millersville 70, West Chester 54 (March 2, 2022) -  Millersville trailed 14-1  but went on to outscore West Chester by 29 over the final 34 minutes, winning 70-54 to advance to the PSAC Semifinals for the first time since 2008. Mekhi Hendricks sparked the Marauders with 15 points, three steals, and a blocked shot, posting a plus-minus of 25 in just 26 minutes of action. Justin Nwosu played a key role in the paint as well, recording his seventh double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds while helping Millersville out-rebound the PSAC's top rebounding team, 46-42. 
• Mercyhurst: Mercyhurst 83, Pitt-Johnstown 77 (March 2, 2022) - Mercyhurst started quickly and led by eight at the half and then held on to advance to the PSAC Semifinals. Four Lakers scored in double-figures, led by MiyKah McIntosh's 21 points. 
   

SERIES HISTORY VS. MERCYHURST

• Millersville and Mercyhurst played just once before the Lakers joined the PSAC in 2008-09. Since, the teams have played nine times with Mercyhurst holding a 6-3 advantage. While Millersville won the last three meetings at home, and Mercyhurst has won all of the meetings in Erie, this is the first-ever neutral site game between the teams. Seven of the all-time meetings have been decided by single digits, including the 87-85 Mercyhurst win in 2019. All eight Marauders that played in that game are still on the team. Five Lakers, including starters MiyKah McIntosh, Steve Cannady, Nicholas Lang and Michel Bradley played in that game.
• The Last Meeting vs. Mercyhurst - Mercyhurst 87, Millersville 85 (Nov. 23, 2019): The game featured 21 lead changes and 12 ties, and the Lakers, playing home, used a couple of late-game 3-pointers and some clutch free throw shooting to edge the Marauders, 87-85. Jaden Faulkner hit a jumper with 29 seconds left, cutting the Lakers’ lead to 84-83, but forced to foul, the Marauders sent MiyKah McIntosh to the line with 20 seconds on the clock, and McIntosh hit both. With nine seconds left, Sullivan hit for two. Nicholas Lang then turned it over, giving Millersville once last chance. But Millersville could not get off a shot, giving it right back to the Lakers as time expired. Faulkner led all scorers with 27 points. Caden Najdawi scored 21 on 8-of-10 shooting.