KUTZTOWN, PA. (January 22, 2010) – The Kutztown University men's and women's basketball teams return home to face Shippensburg University in a pair of important Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division games. The doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. with the women's game and followed by the men's game.
Fans that can't make it out to Keystone Arena for the doubleheader, can listen to all of the action over the Internet and live on the air. The women's game will be broadcast live over the Golden Bear Network. The men's game will be broadcast live on WEEU (830-AM), the voice of Berks County and simulcast over the Golden Bear Network.
Both teams will have their hands full.
In the women's game, Kutztown (11-5 overall, 2-1 PSAC East) will have to deal with two of the top five scorers in the conference. Shippensburg (8-11, 1-2) has been led all-season by the tandem of Lauren Beckley and Kelsey Gardner. Beckley is second in the PSAC in scoring (20.3) and third in rebounding (9.2). Meanwhile, Gardner is fifth in the PSAC in scoring (17.3). Shippensburg has lost its last two conference games after beating Mansfield.
Kutztown defeated Mansfield, 86-73, in double overtime behind Melissa McQuade (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler)'s 23 point, 14 rebound performance. McQuade, who has scored in double figures 49 times in her career, continues to lead the Golden Bears in scoring (14.3) and rebounding (8.0). Other double digit scorers for Kutztown include senior guard Rachel Wisemiller (Hazleton, PA/Hazleton Area) and senior forward Vivian Melvin (Chichester, PA/Chichester). Wisemiller is averaging 11.9 points and Melvin is contributing 10.5 points per outing.
Meanwhile, in the men's game, second-ranked Kutztown (14-1, 2-1) will look to rebound from its first defeat of the season. The Golden Bears lost to Mansfield, 94-87, Wednesday evening on the road. Kutztown defeated Shippensburg twice last year. Kutztown senior guard and Division II national player of the year candidate Stephen Dennis (West Chester, PA/Henderson) has been on a serious scoring binge lately.
Dennis has scored 35 or more points in three straight games. He comes into the game, needing 22 points to become the all-time leading scorer in Kutztown men's basketball history. Dennis has scored 1,996 career points and he is the nation's second leading scorer. Also, for Kutztown, forming the second half of the nation's highest scoring tandem is junior forward Ryan Washington (Philadelphia, PA/Wissahickon). He is averaging 21.0 points and 10.3 rebounds. Junior guard Julius Gray (Lincoln University, PA/Oxford Area High School) has made a team best 41 3-pointers.
Shippensburg (8-8, 1-2) is one of the PSAC's top defensive squads. The Red Raiders have allowed one team to score 80 or more points (Goldey Beacom). Shippensburg ended a three-game losing streak by beating Millersville, 68-61, Wednesday night. Four Red Raiders average double figures: Daziah Miller (13.6), Will Royal (11.5), Tariek Belcher (10.0) and Lamar Jackson (8.8). Miller leads Shippensburg in rebounding, averaging 7.1 boards per game.
Both teams return to action Wednesday night when they host West Chester beginning at 6 p.m. Kutztown will hold its annual Golden Bear Honors at halftime of the men's game.
--KU--
