KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University men's basketball team has had no problem protecting its home floor this season.  This week, the Golden Bears will get the chance to solidify its record on the road.  KU will take the floor at Mansfield University's Decker Gymnasium, one of the toughest atmospheres to play in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), on Wednesday Jan. 25.  Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
KU (11-5 overall, 8-4 PSAC) will bring a seven-game winning streak with it on the bus to upstate Pennsylvania, the longest active streak in the conference.  The Mountaineers (6-10, 3-9), however, have dropped five of six but hope that fans in attendance will help give their team an edge heading into the team's first matchup of the year.
 
Golden Bear fans not able to make the trip to Mansfield can still follow KU with live stats by CLICKING HERE.  ESPN Radio will also be covering the game and can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.
 
Kutztown's early dominance in divisional play can be attributed to exceptional play on both ends of the floor.  KU is averaging 91.4 points per game in its latest winning streak.  It is shooting 53.8 percent from the field while holding opponents to just over 70 points on 38 percent shooting.  The Golden Bears are also defeating their opponents by an average of 21.3 points.
 
KU has won eight of the past ten matchups with the Mounties, who are 6-2 at home this season.  KU had its three-game winning streak over MU snapped last season after falling on the road, 86-74.  Mansfield was awarded the PSAC East title with the win.  The teams split their season series in 2010-11 as the Golden Bears came out victorious in overtime at Keystone Arena, 95-88.
 
Finishing third in the East last season, KU has proved that simply making the postseason is not enough.  Especially with the high level of play as of late, the Golden Bears have no reason to believe they can't achieve an Eastern Division title and make a run at the conference championship.  Kutztown currently sits in second place in the East, one game behind first place Bloomsburg.
 
A major benefactor KU has valued this season has been the versatility and consistency in its starting five.  KU has held the same starting lineup all season, with each of which having career performances on more than one occasion.  As a unit, KU leads the PSAC and is ninth in Division II in scoring offense (85.4).  It also leads the conference in scoring margin (+11.4), and leads the East in 3-pointers made (6.7), 3-point percentage (.374), and defending the 3-pointer (.314).
 
Individually, KU is represented in the top tier of the conference in nearly every category.  Senior guards Devon McBride (Richmond, VA/Hill School) (Richmond, VA/Hill School) and Nate Edwards (Philadelphia, PA/North Catholic) (Philadelphia, PA/North Catholic) have sat in the top five in scoring for most of the season.  McBride leads all scorers at 20.3 per clip with Edwards ranking third at 19.4 per game. 
 
Despite the similar totals, each player has gone about scoring in two different ways.  McBride shot 6-for-8 from 3-point range in KU's win over Cheyney last week and is second in the PSAC in 3-pointers made (2.9) and is fourth in percentage (.442).  Edwards is coming off a 12-for-12 performance at the free throw line in the victory over Millersville on Saturday.  He has made the most free throws in the league and is fourth in percentage (.874).  As a team, Kutztown is third in the conference and 11th in Division II in free throw percentage (.766).  Defensively, Edwards is one of four players in the PSAC averaging two or more steals per contest.
 
Senior forward Eric Brennan (Chester, PA/West Catholic) (Chester, PA/West Catholic) is the top rebounder in the East at 9.3 per game.  Brennan has been the rock of the KU offense. He has an established set of low post moves and can pass the ball with precision to set up open looks for KU's set of long-range shooters.  He averages 13.8 points per game and is second on the team with 3.6 assists.
 
Junior guard Micah Fraction (Macungie, PA/Montrose Christian) (Macungie, PA/Montrose Christian) has elevated himself to 11th in the conference in scoring after finishing above his average in the last four games.  He drops 15.8 points per game and is dishing out a team-leading 3.9 assists.  Fraction is also tenth in the PSAC in 3-point percentage (.411).
 
KU's fifth starter, sophomore forward Tyler Brooks (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) (Douglassville, PA/Daniel Boone), has been an excellent role player in his time on the floor.  He's one of the most athletic forwards in the league and has helped KU have a strong presence on the defensive end.  Brooks is second in the PSAC in blocked shots (1.8) and is tied for second on the team in rebounding with McBride (5.0).
 
Mansfield enters the contest averaging 74.7 points per game, sixth in the PSAC and third in the East.  It steals the ball a conference-leading 9.4 times per game and is third in the PSAC in turnover margin (+1.6). 

Junior Chuck Harper leads the Mountaineers with 14.6 points per game.  He started the past three games after starting just twice in his first 11 games this year.  Harper, who scored a career-best 28 points against Cheyney on Saturday, is averaging 19.3 points in his last three starts. Freshman Joe Bell was last week's Western Division Freshman of the Week and is chipping in 13.8 per game.
 
After its date with Mansfield, Kutztown travels to Bloomsburg on Saturday, Jan. 28 for a chance at the top spot in the East.  Tip is set for 3 p.m.