RELEASE DATE: 2/16/05

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIES HOLD OFF BLOOMSBURG 89-88 TO RETAIN FIRST PLACE IN PSAC EAST – JASON BENSON SCORES GAME HIGH 25 POINTS INCLUDING TWO FREE THROWS IN FINAL SECONDS OF GAME

BLOOMSBURG – Jason Benson scored a game high 25 points and hit two free throws with six seconds left in the game as Mansfield held off an upset minded Bloomsburg University in a PSAC East contest at Nelson Fieldhouse Wednesday night.

The tone of the game was established from the onset as the two teams battled back and forth though out the first half with the 10 ties and eight lead changes in the first 20 minutes. Bloomsburg would hold a slight lead until Justin Kress hit two free with 2:24 left in the half to give the Mountaineers a 43-41 lead.

Mansfield would take a 46-43 lead into intermission and although the Mountaineers would never trail again in the game, but never managed to maintain a comfortable lead against the scrappy Huskies.

The Mountaineers managed to take a 74-64  on a jumper by Jeremy Frey with 10:19 left, but Bloomsburg came right back to cut the lead to five less than two minutes later.

Mansfield would manage to hold on to the lead but Bloomsburg pulled to within two points three times in the final 3:13. The Mountaineers held a 87-81 lead on a pair of free throws with :45 to play, but Bloomsburg scored four straight points to pull to 87-85 with :30 remaining.

Benson hit two more free throws with :06 before Bloomsburg hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Benson was a thorn in the side of his former teammates all eveing hitting 15-of-18 free throws and pulling down nine rebounds with six steals. Brandon DeShields added 17 points and seven rebounds Justin Kress and Carlos Collazo each scored 11 points with Jeremy Frey adding 10.

Ryan Nenstiel led Bloomsburg with 19 points.

The victory keeps the Mountaineer (7-2) one game ahead of Millersville (6-3) which had a bye. West Chester moved into third place with a 79-76 win over East Stroudsburg and Cheyney shocked East Stroudsburg 84-76 to put ESU in fourth place at 5-4.

Mansfield will host Kutztown on Saturday.    

Newspaper Box Score

Mansfield vs Bloomsburg University

02/16/05 7:30 p.m. at Bloomsburg, PA

At Bloomsburg, PA

MANSFIELD 89, BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY 88

MANSFIELD (14-10, 7-2 PSACE)

BENSON, Jason 5-13 15-18 25; DESHIELDS, Brandon 5-11 7-9 17; COLLAZO, Carlos

4-7 3-4 11; KRESS, Justin 3-4 5-8 11; FREY, Jeremy 5-7 0-0 10; WILLIAMS,

Terrance 1-4 4-6 6; HOOPES, David 1-5 2-2 5; BRYANT, Brian 1-3 0-0 2;

ANDERSON, Ian 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 26-56 36-47 89.

BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY (6-19, 2-8 PSAC E)

NENSTIEL, Ryan 7-13 4-5 19; OWENS, John 6-12 5-5 17; NENSTIEL, Bob 3-8 2-2

10; CHERRY, Ernest 4-6 2-4 10; JERRY, Andrew 2-8 4-7 9; BRYAN, Billy 1-2 6-9

8; CHEATLE, Mike 2-4 1-2 7; BURDINE, Jaren 2-4 0-0 4; FISHER, Matt 1-3 0-0

2; HOLSEY, Brian 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 29-61 24-34 88.

Mansfield.....................   46   43  -   89

Bloomsburg University.........   43   45  -   88

3-point goals-Mansfield 1-15 (HOOPES, David 1-4; DESHIELDS, Brandon 0-3;

COLLAZO, Carlos 0-1; FREY, Jeremy 0-1; BRYANT, Brian 0-1; BENSON, Jason

0-5), Bloomsburg University 6-15 (CHEATLE, Mike 2-4; NENSTIEL, Bob 2-3;

NENSTIEL, Ryan 1-5; JERRY, Andrew 1-2; OWENS, John 0-1). Fouled

out--Mansfield-BRYANT, Brian, Bloomsburg University-FISHER, Matt.

Rebounds-Mansfield 39 (BENSON, Jason 9; KRESS, Justin 9), Bloomsburg

University 29 (NENSTIEL, Bob 5; CHERRY, Ernest 5). Assists-Mansfield 6

(BENSON, Jason 2), Bloomsburg University 11 (JERRY, Andrew 6). Total

fouls-Mansfield 25, Bloomsburg University 28. A-375