RELEASE DATE: 2/23/04

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIE MEN RETURN TO PSAC PLAYOFFS – QUALIFY FOR PLAYOFFS WITH TWO REGULAR SEASON GAMES REMAINING

MANSFIELD – Although they had a bye this past Saturday, the Mansfield University men’s basketball earn a berth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference playoffs.

The Mountaineers are 20-5 overall and 7-3 in the PSAC East with two games remaining. They, along with PSAC East leading Cheyney (19-6, 8-2) have already earned playoff berths.

The top four teams in both the PSAC East and PSAC West qualify for PSAC Quarterfinals on March 2. The top two teams in each division will host the third and fourth ranked teams with the highest remaining PSAC East team then going on to host the PSAC Final Four on March 5-6.

Mansfield currently trails Cheyney by one game for the lead in the PSAC East. The Mountaineers travel to sixth place East Stroudsburg (13-12, 4-6) on Wednesday before closing out the regular season at fourth place West Chester (15-10, 5-5).

If the current standings would hold for the remainder of the regular season, Mansfield would host third place Kutztown (15-9, 6-4) and Cheyney hosting West Chester.

The Mountaineers are the seventh team in school history to win 20 games in a season and top the PSAC in scoring averaging 82.6 points per game. Senior Omari Pearson leads the conference in scoring (19.9 ppg) and rebounding (11.5 rpg) while fellow senior Brett Longpre’ is fourth in the PSAC in scoring (17.4 ppg). Longpre’ also ranks second in free throw and 3-point shooting. Sophomore Bill McNeal is 15^th in the PSAC in scoring (13.5 ppg).

In 13 games this season, the Mountaineers only home loss came at the hands of East Stroudsburg in a stunning 84-81 setback earlier this season. Mansfield beat West Chester 72-67 in their first meeting.

If both Mansfield and Cheyney tie with identical conference records, the tie-breaker would be determined by 1) head-to-head competition (the two teams have split their series this season); 2) records against the next highest finishing team.

In order to win the PSAC East, Mansfield needs to win both of its final two games with Cheyney suffering a loss (Cheyney travels to last place Bloomsburg on Wednesday before hosting East Stroudsburg).

Six of the seven PSAC teams are still in the running for playoff berths with Millersville currently in fifth place (12-13, 5-6) and East Stroudsburg in sixth (13-12, 4-6).

IN the PSAC West, California (20-5, 9-1); Edinboro (14-11, 8-2) and IUP (17-8, 7-4) have already earned playoff berths with Clarion (14-11, 4-6) and Slippery Rock (7-18, 4-6) vying for the final spot.

Mansfield has won the PSAC Championship the last time (1997) they hosted the PSAC Championship.