RELEASE DATE: 1/15/05

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CLARION PULL AWAY FROM MANSFIELD IN FINAL MINUTES – BENSON HAS 21 IN LOSING EFFORT

MANSFIELD – Jason Benson scored 21 points but it would not be enough to offset a 35 point effort from Ryan Wells as Clarion held off Mansfield 79-69 in a PSAC crossover contest at Decker Gymnasium Saturday afternoon.

Clarion used a 10-2 run to take a 38-25 advantage with 5:03 to go in the first half before the Mountaineers rallied with a 10-0 run to trail 38-35 at intermission.

The game remained close through out the second half with Mansfield trailing 56-53 with 9:16 to play. But the Mountaineers missed all five of their shots from the field over the next five minutes and could pull no closer. Clarion made 5-of-6 free throws over the final two minutes and Well’s buried a 3-pointer to put Clarion up by eight with a minute to play.

Carlos Collazo added 13 points and a team high eight rebounds for the Mountaineers. Bryan Bryant dished out 10 assists.

Clarion connected on 21-of-27 from the free throw line to Mansfield’s 11-of-17.

The Mountaineers will open their PSAC East season when they travel to Millersville on Wednesday.

Newspaper Box Score

Clarion Uiversity vs Mansfield University

1/15/05 3:00 p.m. at Mansfield University

At Mansfield University

CLARION UIVERSITY 79, MANSFIELD UNIVERSITY 69

CLARION UIVERSITY (10-4(0-1))

WELLS, Ryan 14-20 5-7 35; VAUGHNS, Terrance 5-8 1-2 15; CLARKE, Michael 2-7

5-6 9; CHURCH, Lee 0-2 4-6 4; FRANKLIN, Bobby 1-5 2-2 4; HEATH, Garrett 0-2

4-4 4; WELLMAN, Craig 1-2 0-0 3; TORBERT, Frank 1-4 0-0 3; MOORE, Khary 1-3

0-0 2. Totals 25-53 21-27 79.

MANSFIELD UNIVERSITY (6-8)

BENSON, Jason 8-17 2-2 21; COLLAZO, Carlos 5-9 2-5 13; HOOPES, David 3-7 0-0

8; MARTIN, Andrae 2-4 3-4 7; HILL, Kevin 2-4 0-0 6; KRESS, Justin 2-3 1-2 5;

ANDERSON, Ian 1-3 1-2 3; BRYANT, Brian 1-5 0-0 2; DESHIELDS, Brandon 1-4 0-0

2; WILLIAMS, Terrance 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 25-59 11-17 69.

Clarion Uiversity.............   38   41  -   79

Mansfield University..........   35   34  -   69

3-point goals-Clarion Uiversity 8-13 (VAUGHNS, Terrance 4-5; WELLS, Ryan

2-2; WELLMAN, Craig 1-1; TORBERT, Frank 1-2; HEATH, Garrett 0-1; FRANKLIN,

Bobby 0-1; CHURCH, Lee 0-1), Mansfield University 8-26 (BENSON, Jason 3-9;

HOOPES, David 2-6; HILL, Kevin 2-4; COLLAZO, Carlos 1-2; BRYANT, Brian 0-1;

DESHIELDS, Brandon 0-2; WILLIAMS, Terrance 0-2). Fouled out--Clarion

Uiversity-None, Mansfield University-None. Rebounds-Clarion Uiversity 32

(CLARKE, Michael 10), Mansfield University 35 (COLLAZO, Carlos 8).

Assists-Clarion Uiversity 11 (FRANKLIN, Bobby 8), Mansfield University 17

(BRYANT, Brian 10). Total fouls-Clarion Uiversity 20, Mansfield University

20. A-803