Ron Wilson '79 Classic returns to Pucillo Gymnasium this weekend

Monday, November 9

Wilmington, DE

6:00 PM

Millersville University

Wilmington

Photo by: Kaya Wagner 2026

11/11/2026 1:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball

By: Ethan Hulsey, Director of Athletic Communications

Countdown to Gameday

Millersville Men's Basketball

Men's Basketball

vs D'Youville

Nov 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM

Days

Hours

Mins

Secs

Live Video (Available on Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, Google TV)
Live Stats
Tickets
Complete Game Notes

ABOUT THE GAME

Millersville makes its 2026-27 Pucillo Gymnasium debut with the annual Ron Wilson ’79 Classic on Friday and Saturday. The four team event features Millersville, Mansfield, D’Youville and Winston-Salem State. Millersville is 0-1 after an 81-76 loss at Wilmington Monday night. D’Youville started its season with a win over Point Park while Mansfield and Winston-Salem play game one on Friday. The Ron Wilson ’79 Classic began in 2021 and this is the fifth edition. Millersville is 6-1 all-time in the event with a spotless 4-0 record in the first game of the event. In 2023, there was just one game played. The event is named in the honor of longtime program support and former All-PSAC East player Ron Wilson.

Coming to Pucillo Gymnasium this weekend! Tickets: https://t.co/2PwKYGIin4 https://t.co/Dd5Ut1wlGl
— Millersville Marauders (@VilleMarauders) November 9, 2026

Millersville has a long history of a substantial home court advantage in Pucillo Gymnasium. The Marauders went 12-4 at home last season and boast an .827 home winning percentage under Stitzel. Millersville opened its season at Wilmington, a place it has lost six consecutive games. In 2025-26 at Pucillo Gymnasium, Millersville outscored opponents 80.3-68.8 points per game, and shot 46.2% while holding opponents to 39.7% shooting. On the road, opponents averaged 75.4 points per game on 44.4% shooting. There was a stark contrast to Millersville’s defense in the first and second halves of Monday’s game. The Marauders allowed 55 points on 51.4% shooting in the first half but 26 points on 29.4% shooting in the second. In the final eight minutes of the first half, Millersville allowed Wilmington to shoot 8 of 14 from the field and sent the Wildcats to the line five times, where they shot 9 for 10. Millersville struggled mightily from the line, shooting 15 of 29. It is the first time that Millersville has shot below 52% on at least 20 attempts since Feb. 4, 2015.
The improved defensive effort in the second half led to nine steals and seven blocked shots for the Marauders. Jase Holland blocked four shots and four different players had at least one block. Veron Talla led the team with three steals. There were only three games all of last season in which Millersville totaled at least seven blocks and nine steals.
Holland’s performance on Monday was a career game across the board. He made the first 3-pointer of his career and set career highs in points (17), blocks (4) and assists (6). He is the first Marauder with at least four blocks and six assists in a game in the modern stat keeping era, which began in 2002.
On Monday, Dante Weise, in his third season with Millersville, led the team in scoring for just the second time in his career. He was one point shy of his career high but made a career high eight field goals.

SERIES HISTORY

This weekend’s games mark the first meetings between Millersville and its two opponents, although Jay Butler, new head coach at Winston-Salem State, is familiar with the Marauders. Butler brought Virginia Union to the Ron Wilson ’79 Classic in two of the last three years and has made three trips to Pucillo since 2022. Millersville head coach Casey Stitzel is 3-1 head-to-head against Butler’s teams, including a 3-0 record at home.