ABOUT THE GAME

• Saturday’s game between Millersville and Shepherd is just the second PSAC East game on the schedule, but the standings show that race for the postseason will be tightly contested, and every division game carries added significance. With six conference games played, seven of the nine teams in the East are .500 or better in conference play. Millersville is 4-2, a game out of first place while Shepherd is 3-3. The Rams have dropped back-to-back home games, falling to PSAC East-leading Lock Haven 77-74 in overtime on Wednesday. Millersville earned its second road win of the season Wednesday, impoving to 2-4 away from Pucillo Gymnasium. Shepherd is 2-4 at home but is historically tough to be in Shepherdstown. The Rams have posted winning records at home in 10-straight seasons. 

SCOUTING THE MARAUDERS

• Matt Dade had a breakout game Wednesday at Bloomsburg, scoring 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting (a season-high in field goals made), and his scoring was especially key in the second half as Millersville closed out the win. He scored 13 points in the final 20 minutes, making 5-of-6 shots and all three of his free throws. Dade now owns two of Millersville’s four 20-point games this season. While his free throw percentage is .596 on the season, Dade has made 11 of his last 14 (.786). 
• Sophomore Drew Stover has quickly become Millersville’s most consistent scorer. He leads the team with seven double-digit scoring performances and has scored at least eight points in nine of the last 10 games. Stover has been at his best in road games as well. Over the last five games away from Pucillo Gymnasium, Stover has averaged 13.4 points and 6.0 rebounds, shooting 51.8% from the field in 21 minutes per game. 
   

SCOUTING SHEPHERD

• The Rams have shot under 40% from the field in four-straight games and now rank 15th in the league in scoring offense (67.7). Millersville is just one spot ahead in 14th at 68.8 points per game. Shepherd and Millersville are among the best defensive teams in the PSAC as well. Millersville ranks third in scoring, allowing 64.2 points per game while Shepherd is fourth at 67.8. Shepherd is not shy about shooting the three, making 118 and ranking third in the PSAC with 9.1 makes per game. Millersville ranks last in 3FG% defense with teams hitting 37.4%. Shepherd is also the top free throw shooting team in the league at 77.7%. 

SERIES HISTORY

• Saturday’s game is just the 18th meeting between Millersville and Shepherd. The two programs played twice between 1966-1983 before playing nine times between 1983-1992. Millersville won seven of those nine games. Shepherd joined the PSAC for the 2018-19 season, and since, the Rams have won four of six games over Millersville including all three played in Shepherdstown. Millersville has lost four in a row at Shepherd with its last win coming in 1990. Last season, Millersville went 14-2 against the PSAC East but lost 89-71 at Shepherd. Prior to that result, all five games that Casey Stitzel and Justin Namolik coached were decided by 10 points or fewer. Ryan Davis scored in double-figures in both games against Shepherd last season, including 18 in the road game. He averaged 14.5 points per game in the two meetings. 
• The Last Meeting Shepherd 89, Millersville 71 (Feb. 16, 2022):  Shepherd stopped Millersville's 12-game winning streak. Millersville struggled at both ends of the court, and its early offensive woes were compounded on defense as Shepherd buried the Marauders in an avalanche of 3-pointers and made buckets. The Rams drilled 11-of-21 threes and shot 61.1% from the field in the game, including 62% in a 45-27 first-half onslaught. It was a stunning offensive performance for a Shepherd team that entered the game averaging 65 points per game and hadn't scored more than 81 in regulation all season. Shepherd had shot better than 50% just three times before