RELEASE DATE: 2/12/05

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIE MEN BOW TO WEST CHESTER 101-88 – MU STILL RETAINS SOLE POSSESSION OF FIRST PLACE IN PSAC EAST

WEST CHESTER – West Chester had five players score in double figures and outscored Mansfield 52-40 in the second half in posting a 101-88 win in a PSAC East contest at Hollinger Field Saturday afternoon.

The loss snaps a PSAC high six game winning streak for the Mountaineers who still retain sole possession of first place in the PSAC East after Millersville beat East Stroudsburg 86-69. Mansfield is 6-2 in the East with Millersville in second place at 6-3.

The Mountaineers were plagued by foul trouble from early in the game with big men Carlos Collazo and Justin Kress both in foul trouble early in the first half. Both would foul out of the game with Collazo scoring just four points in 10 minutes of play.

Although Mansfield shot 65.4% from the floor in the first half, the Mountaineers were whistled for 16 first half fouls resulting in 22 West Chester free throws. The Golden Rams made 18 of them to hold a slim 49-48 advantage at intermission.

West Chester was red hot in the second half hitting 16-of-23 (69.6%) from the floor and 17-20 (85%) of their free throw attempts. They would connect on 35-of-42 free throw attempts in the game.

Despite the foul trouble, Mansfield trailed just 77-71 with 6:50 to play but could pull no closer.

Jason Benson paced four Mountaineers in double figures with 24 points. Brandon DeShields scored 15 points with David Hoopes adding 13 and Justin Kress 11.

Matt Kurtz led five West Chester players in double figures with a game high 28 points.

The Mountaineers (13-10, 6-2) will travel to Bloomsburg on Wednesday evening.

Newspaper Box Score

Mansfield University vs West Chester Univ. Golden Rams

02/12/05 3 p.m. at West Chester, PA

At West Chester, PA

WEST CHESTER UNIV. GOLDEN RAMS 101, MANSFIELD UNIVERSITY 88

MANSFIELD UNIVERSITY (13-10/6-2 PSAC E.)

BENSON, Jason 8-11 7-10 24; DESHIELDS, Brandon 6-11 1-2 15; HOOPES, David

5-15 0-0 13; KRESS, Justin 4-6 3-7 11; BRYANT, Brian 1-1 4-4 7; WILLIAMS,

Terrance 2-4 2-2 6; COLLAZO, Carlos 3-5 0-0 6; ANDERSON, Ian 1-1 1-2 3;

FREY, Jeremy 1-2 0-0 2; MARTIN, Andrae 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 31-58 19-29 88.

WEST CHESTER UNIV. GOLDEN RAMS (15-9/5-4 PSAC E.)

KURTZ, Matt 8-12 8-9 28; WILLIAMS, Aaron 7-8 3-3 17; GREENWOOD, Lenwood 7-14

0-0 15; BECKER, Chad 2-3 8-9 12; WERDT, Shawn 2-4 6-8 11; JONES, Azim 2-2

5-7 9; LONG, Brandon 2-5 3-4 7; GERHART, Mark 0-2 2-2 2; WESTMORELAND,

Justin 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-51 35-42 101.

Mansfield University..........   48   40  -   88

West Chester Univ. Golden Rams   49   52  -  101

3-point goals-Mansfield University 7-22 (HOOPES, David 3-10; DESHIELDS,

Brandon 2-4; BENSON, Jason 1-3; BRYANT, Brian 1-1; FREY, Jeremy 0-1;

COLLAZO, Carlos 0-1; WILLIAMS, Terrance 0-2), West Chester Univ. Golden Rams

6-11 (KURTZ, Matt 4-5; WERDT, Shawn 1-2; GREENWOOD, Lenwood 1-2; GERHART,

Mark 0-2). Fouled out--Mansfield University-COLLAZO, Carlos; KRESS, Justin,

West Chester Univ. Golden Rams-WILLIAMS, Aaron; KURTZ, Matt.

Rebounds-Mansfield University 27 (DESHIELDS, Brandon 4), West Chester Univ.

Golden Rams 27 (GREENWOOD, Lenwood 6; WILLIAMS, Aaron 6). Assists-Mansfield

University 12 (DESHIELDS, Brandon 4), West Chester Univ. Golden Rams 17

(GERHART, Mark 7). Total fouls-Mansfield University 30, West Chester Univ.

Golden Rams 25. A-1000