MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM ADVANCES TO PSAC FINAL FOUR WITH WIN AT KUTZTOWN

March 4 – The Millersville University men’s basketball team won at Kutztown for the first time since 2005 to advance to this weekend’s Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) semifinals to be held at Cheyney University.

Charlie Parker (sr. Fawn Grove, Pa./Kennard-Dale HS) led Millersville with a game-high 27 points in the 99-88 win over the Golden Bears. All five MU starters scored in double figures as the Marauders pulled away with lights out three-point shooting (69 percent, 11-of-16 compared to KU’s 19 percent, 3-of 16) and making 11-of-12 free throws in the final three minutes.

MU took the lead for good with 14:50 to play when a layup by Reggie Bates (jr. Chicago, Ill./Hubbard HS) started an 8-0 run.

Kutztown cut the lead to three with 7:52 left before Parker hit a trey, Bates’ answered a layup by Kutztown’s Dave Ben, and RayQuan Miles (sr. Hampton, Pa./Phoebus HS) scored four consecutive points to push the lead to double digits.

Miles finished with a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds), as did Bernard Brown (jr. Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg HS), who finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Cory Bray (fr. Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion HS) also had a big night by hitting five-of-nine from beyond the arc and finishing with 17 points.

Stephen Dennis led Kutztown (19-9) with 22 points as four Golden Bears finished in double digits.

Kutztown led by as many as eight points midway through the first half until Bray dropped two triples as part of a 12-2 run.

MU’s lead reached six in the first half before Kutztown rallied to tie the score at 45-45 at halftime.

The win gives the Marauders (20-8) the right to play Edinboro (23-5), the PSAC West’s top seed, at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, March 7. Millersville handed the Fighting Scots’ their first loss of the season with a 78-73 victory on Dec. 1 at Pucillo Gymnasium.

If Millersville wins on Friday it would play in the finals on Saturday, March 8 at 7 p.m.

MU’s last win at Kutztown was an 81-73 victory during the 2004-05 season, which was Charlie Parker’s rookie year.