KUTZTOWN, Pa. – At the midway point of its season, the Kutztown University men's basketball team has found itself in a rhythm that has the potential to produce its first five-game winning streak of the year.  This weekend, however, presents one of the most anticipated matchups of the season for KU and is certain to come down to the wire.
 
The Golden Bears travel to East Stroudsburg University on Saturday, Jan. 14 for a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup and a rematch of last year's quarterfinal game.  Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. at Koehler Fieldhouse and live stats are available by CLICKING HERE.
 
Both teams opened its Eastern Division schedules with home victories and are tied for second in the East.  Kutztown (8-5 overall, 5-4 PSAC) is coming off a lopsided, 87-68, victory over West Chester Wednesday night and were led by sophomore forward Tyler Brooks (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone)' (Douglassville, PA/Daniel Boone) career-high 22 points.  Junior forward Terrance King dropped a career-best 20 points to help East Stroudsburg (9-6, 5-4) to a 76-56 victory over Mansfield.
 
The KU-ESU rivalry has become one of the top clashes in the East, dating back to 1927.  ESU holds the slim advantage in the head-to-head series, 75-73.  In the last four regular season matchups, the game has come down to the final possession with a combined point differential of nine.  Last year, each team won games on their home floor in the regular season, with the Warriors taking the opening playoff matchup at Keystone Arena, 83-70.
 
Despite Bloomsburg (11-3, 7-2) holding the top spot in the East, due to fantastic play in Crossover action, Kutztown and ESU rank in the top-two in the East in most statistical categories.  They account for the top scoring teams as KU racks up 83.7 points per game followed by ESU at 80.7.  Kutztown's 6.7 3-pointers per game are tops in the East with ESU holding steady at 6.6.  ESU, however, holds the advantage on the glass at 39.1 with KU trailing with 38.7, as well as scoring margin (ESU, +11.4 – KU, +9.0).
 
It's no surprise that the two programs have performed at a high level up to this point.  The Golden Bears received three first place votes in the PSAC preseason coaches' poll, and were the favorites in the East for the third time in four years.  ESU was picked second in the East, also grabbing three first place votes.
 
Devon McBride (Richmond, VA/Hill School) (Richmond, VA/Hill School), the PSAC Athlete of the Week, leads the conference at 20 points per clip.  The senior guard scored a career-high 32 at Lock Haven on Jan. 7 and heads a KU attack that is averaging over 90 points per game in its four-game winning streak.
 
Also in the top-five in scoring is fellow senior guard Nate Edwards (Philadelphia, PA/North Catholic) (Philadelphia, PA/North Catholic).  At 18.9 per game, Edwards has been able to contribute on both ends of the floor.  He is sixth in the conference and second in the East in free throw percentage (.847) as KU is third in Division II in free throw percentage (.781).  Edwards has also become one of the best on-ball defenders in the league by averaging over two steals per game.  A PSAC Athlete of the Week earlier this season, Edwards has shown he can fill it up on any given night.  He dropped a career-high 29 points on multiple occasions this season and gives the Golden Bears a great option in the fast break.
 
Heading the high-tempo offense is junior point guard Micah Fraction (Macungie, PA/Montrose Christian) (Macungie, PA/Montrose Christian).  His lightning-quick speed has helped him average over 15 points per contest. He leads KU with 53 assists and is ninth in the conference with 4.1 per game.
 
In the frontcourt, senior forward Eric Brennan (Chester, PA/West Catholic) (Chester, PA/West Catholic) has bullied opposing forwards on the boards.  He's coming off a 14-point, 12-rebound effort against West Chester and has been KU's top player at filling the stat sheet in every category.  Brennan is fifth in the PSAC and second in the East in rebounding (8.3) and has a team-best five double-double's on the year.  He's also averaging 13.6 points per game and has the best assist/turnover ratio in the league at 2.3.
 
The Warriors are led offensively by freshman guard Whis Grant.  He is averaging 13.9 points per game and is a legitimate threat from 3-point range, averaging in the top-15 in the PSAC in percentage (.406) and makes (1.9). 
 
King is ESU's top rebounder at 6.3 per game and ranks seventh in the PSAC in field goal percentage (.581).  KU's Brooks leads the PSAC in percentage from the floor at .733 after his 10-for-11 shooting effort against West Chester.  Warrior senior guard Russell Graham III is third in the PSAC with 5.6 assists per game.
 
With a win, Kutztown will have its first five-game winning streak since its opening five conference games last season.  Another note, 14 of the 19 games between ESU head coach Jeff Wilson and KU head coach Bernie Driscoll have been decided by five points or less.
 
After the divisional clash on Saturday, KU returns home to face Cheyney University on Wednesday, Jan. 18.  KU and Cheyney split the series last season.  ESU will hit the road and travel to Millersville as both games are set to tipoff at 8 p.m.