KUTZTOWN, PA (November 22, 2010) – The Kutztown University men's basketball team opens its 2010-11 home schedule against Goldey-Beacom College Tuesday, Nov. 23 at Keystone Arena. Tip is set for 8 p.m.

 

The Golden Bears defeated the Lightning, 76-74, in last year's matchup in Delaware on a Stephen Dennis (West Chester, PA/Henderson) buzzer-beater. This will be the second meeting all-time between the two schools. If this game is like last year's contest, then fans will be in for a pre-Thanksgiving feast of hoops.

 

While this game will be the beginning of another season full of promise and excitement, it will mark the end for faithful fans, Don and Patty Titus, who are moving to Michigan. They will depart for their new home immediately following the conclusion of the Goldey-Beacom contest. Veteran men's basketball coach Bernie Driscoll could always count on seeing the Titus' familiar faces in the stands at home and on the road.  

 

“They've been long-time supporters of Kutztown basketball and they're good people,” Driscoll said. “It's going to be sad looking up in the stands and not seeing them. They always traveled all over. Two years ago, they drove out to Erie twice and this year they drove to up to Syracuse. They would just get in their truck and go. They will be deeply missed.”

 

The Golden Bears will look to make the Titus' trip a happy one as they deal with a talented Lightning squad.

 

Kutztown (2-1 overall) enters the game off of a 90-49 victory over neighbor and Division III Penn State-Berks Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, the Lightning (1-2) are looking to bounce back after losing to Cheyney University, 76-74, Saturday afternoon. For GBC, this is the third of four straight games against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) schools.

 

Goldey-Beacom won a school record 19 games last year and was picked to finish second in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division in the 2010 pre-season coaches poll. Meanwhile, KU was picked third in the PSAC East.

 

The Golden Bears were stingy defensively during their three-game road trip, permitting an average of 57 points per outing. Kutztown limited 23rd-ranked Philadelphia to 60 points and held PSU-Berks to below 50 points. Wilmington finished with 62 points.

 

“I am happy with defense,” Driscoll said. “They have stepped up and done a nice job on that end of the floor. We definitely have our work cut for us against Goldey-Beacom because they're good. Sam McDuffie and Terrance Parkes are one of better scoring tandems in all of Division II. It's definitely going to be a challenge for us.”

 

Kutztown senior guard Julius Gray (Lincoln University, PA/Oxford Area) has fueled the Golden Bears in the early going by averaging a team-best 17.7 points per game. He scored a career-high 25 points in KU's setback at Wilmington. Two days later, Gray posted a double-double by scoring 17 points and handing out a career-high 10 assists.

 

Gray is one of three players averaging double figures. Senior Steve Coffey (Reading, PA/Wilson) has been solid, averaging 11 points per contest and senior Tamir Johnson (Philadelphia, PA/Imhotep Charter) is chipping in at a 10.3-point per game clip. Junior Eric Brennan (Chester, PA/West Catholic) posted a double-double against PSU-Berks finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds. The Golden Bear defense forced 36 PSU-Berks turnovers.

 

The Lightning's two losses have come by a combined six points, with one of them going into overtime. In the loss to Cheyney, Sam McDuffie poured in a team-high 25 points for the Lightning. Terrance Parkes had 12 points and 13 rebounds for GBC.

 

McDuffie and Parkes has been a formidable tandem in the early going for GBC. They have combined to average 47 points. McDuffie, who also has a 34-point performance against Franklin Pierce this season, leads GBC in scoring with a 25.3 average. Parkes is scoring at a 21.7 point per game clip. He is also averaging 11.3 rebounds for the Lightning. Parkes burned KU last season for 25 points and 10 rebounds.

 

Kutztown will take a break for Thanksgiving, and fine-tune a few things before returning to action against Chestnut Hill on Wednesday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. That contest is also at Keystone Arena.