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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – With non-conference play behind it, the No. 13 Kutztown University men's basketball team turns its undivided attention to defending its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division title beginning on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in Keystone Arena when it hosts one its most prevalent challengers in unbeaten and No. 18 Shippensburg.
Through five games of PSAC crossover play, Shippensburg (9-0, 5-0 PSAC), along with East Stroudsburg (7-3, 5-0), holds a one-game lead over KU (8-1, 4-1) in the league standings.
This will be the first time the two teams have faced off when both are nationally ranked. The last time the two teams met, Shippensburg hit a jumper with 1.5 seconds remaining to down Kutztown, 74-72, in last season's PSAC Quarterfinals. It is the Golden Bears' only home loss since the beginning of the 2015-16 season. KU is 21-1 in its previous 22 contests in Keystone Arena.
The matchup features the top-two teams in the PSAC in scoring offense, scoring margin and assist/turnover ratio. The two teams are also top-seven in the league in assists per game, scoring defense, field goal percentage defense, 3-point percentage, turnovers per game and turnover margin.
Kutztown last played on Dec. 18 at Bowie State when it overcame its third second half deficit of at least eight points in the span of less than three weeks to end non-conference play with an 85-79 victory.
KU is top-two in the PSAC in scoring offense (84.4), field goal percentage (.484), 3-point field goal percentage (.405), turnover margin (7.33) and assist/turnover ratio (1.53). The Maroon and Gold are fourth and 12th in the NCAA, respectively, in turnover margin and assist/turnover ratio.
Shippensburg is one of nine remaining unbeatens in the NCAA. After opening the year with five straight wins by at least 16 points, three of the Raiders' previous four victories have come by seven points or less, but they did defeat Shepherd, 88-62, the last time they played on Dec. 19.
Shippensburg is atop the PSAC in scoring offense (85.8), scoring defense (63.6), scoring margin (+14.7), 3-point field goal percentage defense (.266), free throw percentage (.791), rebounding offense (41.2) and assists/turnover ratio (1.63). The Raiders rank in the top-seven of the NCAA in scoring margin, 3-point field goal percentage defense, free throw percentage and assist/turnover ratio.
Fans attending Friday night's game – don't forget about KU's "Bears Give Back" food drive campaign. Anyone who brings one non-perishable food donation to any of the basketball games will be given a ticket that can be redeemed for a free hotdog or bag of chips at the concession stand. Cash donations are also accepted.
