ABOUT THE GAME

• Millersville travels to Mansfield Wednesday looking to course correct after starting a four-game road swing with back-to-back losses. The Marauders have won 12 consecutive games against Mansfield and six in a row in Decker Gymnasium. But the 2024-25 Marauders are 2-5 with three consecutive losses on the road. Millersville averages 81.5 points per game and is shooting 47.8% from the field for the season, but it is a different team away from Pucillo Gymnasium, averaging just 74.1 points on 44.1% shooting. Millersville has topped 76 points just once in seven road games while it has not scored fewer than 76 points in any home game. Mansfield won three of four before dropping three in a row. The Mountaineers are now 4-4 at home. 

SCOUTING THE MARAUDERS

• While Millersville is 3-6 in its last nine games and hover one game above .500, every statistical indication shows it as one of the top teams in the PSAC. All seven of Millersville’s losses have been by single-digits and two came in overtime. The Marauders lead the PSAC in field goal percentage, rank second in scoring margin (+7.5), third in rebounding margin (+4.8), third in blocks (4.3), fourth in turnover margin (+1.4) and fifth in steals (8.8). Millersville is the only team in the conference to rank in the top six in both scoring offense and scoring defense. The one key determining factor in wins and losses for Millersville is 3-point shooting. While Millersville leads the league in field goal percentage, they amazingly rank last in 3-point shooting (28.9%). In the seven losses in which Millersville has been outscored by a total of 45 points (6.4 per game), Millersville has shot 24.8% from three while opponents have shot 41%--a difference of 69 points. In its eight wins, Millersville has shot 32.5% and held opponents to 27.6% shooting. Millersville is 5-1 when shooting at least 34% from three. 
• On Saturday, Drew Stover became the 39th player to score 1,000 points all in a Millersville uniform. He is the eighth of Casey Stitzel’s players to score 1,000 points. With three more points, Montell Cooper will also join that club. Cooper scored 827 points in 64 games at Marymount and is averaging 11.3 per game as a Marauder. 
• Stover enters the game ranked sixth in the PSAC in scoring average at 18.0 points per game. Since the turn of the century, only Reggie Bates (2007-08), Matt Dade (2023-24) and Marcus Adkison (2017-18) have averaged at least 18.0 points per game. No Marauder has accomplished that feat without making at least 95 free throws. Stover is averaging 3.0 per game and has made just three 3-pointers. He’s scoring with incredible efficiency, connecting on 66.9% of his shots. He ranks 12th in Division II, and his 66.1 career percentage is fourth among active DII players. If he holds that mark, he will tie for fourth in PSAC history. 
• Wednesday’s game is a reunion of sorts for Saraj Ali, who played played two seasons at Mansfield before transferring to Millersville. Ali was the 2023 PSAC East Freshman of the Year, scoring 599 total points and averaging 14.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game last season. Ali has elevated his game as a Marauder, averaging 15.4 points on 57.2% shooting. He’s scored in double figures in 13 of 14 games and has handed out an assist in 12 consecutive games.
   

SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS

• Mansfield ranks 15th out of 17 PSAC teams in scoring and has not scored 80 points on a DII team since Nov. 23--a stretch of eight games. Mansfield is also 17th in scoring defense, allowing 82.9 points per game. Rebounding has been a struggle as the team ranks last in offensive rebounds and 16th in rebounding margin (-3.4). Mansfield’s 0.74 assist/turnover ratio is last in the PSAC. Scott Sterling leads the team in scoring at 14.0 points per game, ranking 23rd in the PSAC. 

SERIES HISTORY

• While Millersville has won 12 in a row over Mansfield, the teams have played some nailbiters in recent years. Last season at home, Millersville needed a game-tying from Day Waters to force overtime and eventually win 98-81. In 2022 at Mansfield, Millersville won 107-106 in overtime on late free throws from Jaden Faulkner. Millersville has scored at least 80 points in seven of the last eight meetings while Mansfield has topped 70 just five times in the last 19.