MARAUDERS KNOCK OFF GOLDEN RAMS BEHIND STRONG DEFENSIVE SHOWING

Feb. 6 – The Millersville University men’s basketball team defeated visiting West Chester University, 75-62, Wednesday evening at Pucillo Gymnasium.

Millersville (15-6, 4-2) forced West Chester (11-10, 2-4) into 16 turnovers and turned them into 27 points.  The Marauder defense was relentless, led by Bernard Brown’s (jr. Harrisburg/Harrisburg) three blocks, the team snatched 12 steals and blocked six shots in total.  Brown finished with his fourth double-double of the season and second in as many games as he dropped in 10 points to go with his 10 rebounds.

The Marauders started slow, allowing the Golden Rams to jump out to an early 5-0 lead.  Guard Aaron Smith knocked down a three-pointer and forward Kehinde Roberts followed with a jumper just a few seconds later to give the Rams the early advantage.

After guard Charlie Parker (sr. Fawn Grove, Pa./Kennard-Dale) found forward Reggie Bates (Chicago, Ill./Hubbard) for an open three-point basket, Brown blocked a shot on the other end and would be rewarded with a layup to erase the lead.

Millersville – which jumped from seventh to sixth in the NCAA East Region poll released earlier in the day - grabbed the lead from the Rams a few minutes later and would never look back.  Another three-point shot by Bates put the Marauders up one (12-11) just six minutes and change into the contest.  The shot sparked a 15-4 run by the Marauders, who would find themselves up seven (32-25) at halftime.

An early second-half bucket by Lenwood Greenwood brought the Rams within five, but it would be all the closer they would get.  The Marauders used a 17-3 run to put the Rams away midway through the second half. 

Parker led Millersville with 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field.  He also handed out seven assists, grabbed five rebounds and had three steals in 37 minutes of work. 

Bates, second in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in scoring, hit on three of seven three-point attempts on his way to 15 points.  Forward RayQuan Miles (sr. Hampton, VA/Phoebus) pitched in with 13 points and five rebounds.

Greenwood led the Rams in defeat as he poured in a team-high 13 points.

Marauder fans showed their support for the team in the first “blackout” of the season.  The second of three “blackouts” will take place February 20 against Kutztown.

The team will travel to Mansfield on Saturday, February 9, for a 3 p.m. match-up with the Mountaineers.