KUTZTOWN, PA (November 12, 2010) – Ready or not, the curtain rises on the 2010-11 Kutztown University men's basketball season when it visits perennial power Philadelphia University Saturday afternoon at the Gallagher Athletic Center beginning at 2 p.m.
Kutztown received four votes in the preseason National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) preseason top 25 poll. Their opening opponent, Philadelphia, is ranked 23rd.
This will be the first of three consecutive away games for the Golden Bears, who are coming off a 23-8 season and their second straight trip to the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional tournament. Kutztown has been one of the best basketball programs in the region under veteran head coach Bernie Driscoll, winning 154 games since the start of the 2002 season. The Golden Bears have posted eight straight winning seasons and despite losing Stephen Dennis (West Chester, PA/Henderson), the all-time leading scorer in school history with 2,406 points, the Golden Bears plan to extend that streak.
The Golden Bears have plenty of talent and new faces this season. Despite being picked third in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) preseason poll, Kutztown has its sights on returning to the conference championship contest for the third straight season. Kutztown senior guard Julius Gray (Lincoln University, PA/Oxford Area) and junior forward Eric Brennan (Chester, PA/West Catholic) were named to the all-PSAC East preseason first team.
The last two seasons, Kutztown's first defeat has not occurred until January. The Golden Bears have won 18 straight games in the months of November and December since dropping an 87-84 decision to Edinboro at Keystone Arena Dec. 19, 2007.
Kutztown gave a public preview of its talent and potential during a 96-60 loss to Syracuse in an exhibition contest last Tuesday. Senior guard Steve Coffey (Reading, PA/Wilson) led the Golden Bears with 15 points and seven rebounds. Gray contributed 12 points. Coffey and Gray saw action in the last meeting against Philadelphia on Dec. 20, 2008. Kutztown defeated Philadelphia, 68-60 in that contest.
Philadelphia will be a formidable foe and a great gauge for Driscoll to evaluate his squad. The Rams are coached by legendary coach Herb Magee, the all-time winningest coach in college basketball history. Seemingly reaching a milestone every game, Magee is one win away from helping him and PU women's coach Tom Shirley win a combined 1,500 games.
With the loss of four senior multi-year starters, Philadelphia will have a new look this season. Despite the turnover, the Rams were picked to win the East Division of the Central Collegiate Athletic Conference. The leading returnees are sophomore guard Jimmy Connolly and junior forwards J.J. Gundry and Corey Francisco.
Connolly was selected to the All-Tournament team at last year's NCAA East Region Tournament, as he helped the Rams advance to the championship game. It marked the furthest any CACC men's team has advanced in a Division II Regional. The team will count on help from some newcomers, particularly 7-foot center Temi Abedayo, who transferred from St. Joseph's University.
Following this game, Kutztown continues its road trip with a game at Wilmington University (Thursday, Nov. 18) and Penn State-Berks (Saturday, Nov. 20). The Golden Bears open up at home, where they are 28-1 over the last two years, on Tuesday, Nov. 23 against Goldey-Beacom College.
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