RELEASE DATE: 2/28/04

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIES DROP REGULAR SEASON FINALLY AT WEST CHESTER 81-74 – WILL HOST KUTZTOWN ON TUESDAY IN OPENING ROUND OF PSAC PLAYOFFS

WEST CHESTER – Needing a win to advance to the PSAC Playoffs, West Chester out shot Mansfield from the free throw line for a 81-74 victory in the final game of the regular season for both teams at Hollinger Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon.

Mansfield had already clinched a playoff spot a week ago and will host Kutztown on Tuesday night at Decker Gymnasium. But West Chester needed a win over Mansfield to earn a fourth and final playoff spot. They will travel to first seeded Cheyney Tuesday evening.

Mansfield roared out to a 11-5 lead over the first five minutes of the game before West Chester would fashion a 15-3 run over the next five minutes to take a 20-14 lead with 5:59 to go in the first.

The Mountaineers would stage their own rally to close the game to 28-25 before going into intermission trailing 30-25.

Fouls and free throw shooting would dedicate the pace of play in the second half with the Mountaineers whistled for a season high 36 fouls in the game.

Mansfield would retake the lead at 41-37 four minutes into the second half but would lose Ian Connor, who had 17 points and six rebounds when Connor fouled out on a personal foul and technical with 11:06 to play.

Still the game remained tight and was tied at 58-58 with 5:21 remaining before West Chester went on an 11-5 run to pull ahead 69-63 at the 2:20 mark. It would also be the last time West Chester would score on a field goal as they connected on 12-of-14 free throws over the final 1:09 to preserve the win.

West Chester would connect on 28-of-44 free throws while Mansfield, the leading free throw shooting team in the conference, hit 15-of-31.

Connor scored his 17 points in just 20 minutes of playing time before fouling out. Omari Pearson also scored 17 points with eight rebounds while Brett Longpre’ added 16 points.

Brandon Long came off the bench to lead West Chester (16-11, 6-6) with 21 points.

Mansfield’s 21 regular season victories are the third most in school while Longpre’ pulled to within 19 points of tying the school all-time scoring record with 1,759 points.

Official Basketball Box Score

Mansfield University vs West Chester University

02/28/04 3 p.m. at West Chester, PA

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VISITORS: Mansfield University 21-6/8-4 PSAC E

                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS

## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN

14 PEARSON, Omari...... *  7-12   0-0    3-3    3  5  8   4  17  1  4  0  0  23

24 LONGPRE`, Brett..... *  6-12   4-11   0-1    0  6  6   2  16  0  1  0  2  24

41 CONNOR, Ian......... *  8-14   0-0    1-4    5  1  6   5  17  0  2  0  0  20

44 BRYANT, Brian....... *  2-5    0-1    2-3    2  2  4   3   6  4  2  0  0  28

55 ROSCOE, Jason....... *  0-1    0-1    0-0    0  1  1   4   0  3  0  1  0  18

13 ANDERSON, Ian.......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   3   0  0  2  0  0   3

20 McNEIL, Bill........    1-6    0-4    4-7    1  1  2   2   6  1  1  1  1  28

21 KRESS, Justin.......    0-0    0-0    0-2    0  0  0   3   0  0  2  0  0   2

22 FREY, Jeremy........    1-2    0-1    0-0    0  0  0   1   2  0  0  0  0   8

34 CARTER, Robert......    1-1    0-0    1-4    0  2  2   5   3  1  1  0  0  13

35 JACKSON, Glenn......    0-1    0-0    2-2    1  2  3   3   2  0  0  0  1  18

42 DeSHIELDS, Brandon..    1-4    1-3    2-5    0  3  3   1   5  2  1  0  1  15

   TEAM................                            3  3

   Totals..............   27-58   5-21  15-31  12 26 38  36  74 12 16  2  5 200

TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  9-29 31.0%   2nd Half: 18-29 62.1%   Game: 46.6%  DEADB

3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  1-9  11.1%   2nd Half:  4-12 33.3%   Game: 23.8%   REBS

F Throw % 1st Half:  6-14 42.9%   2nd Half:  9-17 52.9%   Game: 48.4%    5

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HOME TEAM: West Chester University 16-11/6-6 PSAC E

                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS

## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN

10 FATTORI, Steve...... *  1-4    0-2    2-4    1  0  1   4   4  2  0  0  0  23

21 GRANNUM, Sam........ *  4-8    0-0    4-5    2  3  5   4  12  2  2  1  1  18

32 KURTZ, Matt......... *  2-9    0-4    0-0    0  6  6   2   4  2  3  0  1  27

33 JONES, Robert....... *  0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   0

44 DANQUAH, Kofi....... *  4-8    0-0    5-11   4  9 13   4  13  3  7  0  0  27

11 JONES, Azim.........    0-1    0-0    3-6    4  5  9   4   3  1  1  0  1  19

31 WESTMORELAND, Justin    0-1    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   1   0  0  0  0  1   5

34 WINGERD, Nathan.....    1-2    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   1   2  0  0  0  0   4

40 WERDT, Shawn........    1-2    0-0    7-8    0  0  0   0   9  0  0  0  0  21

41 LOVELACE, Antoine...    4-8    2-3    3-4    1  0  1   2  13  0  0  0  0  15

42 BECKER, Chad........    0-0    0-0    0-2    0  1  1   2   0  0  1  0  0   8

43 LONG, Brandon.......    7-11   3-6    4-4    0  2  2   3  21  3  2  0  2  33

   TEAM................                            4  4             1

   Totals..............   24-54   5-15  28-44  12 30 42  27  81 13 17  1  6 200

TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-25 40.0%   2nd Half: 14-29 48.3%   Game: 44.4%  DEADB

3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  4-9  44.4%   2nd Half:  1-6  16.7%   Game: 33.3%   REBS

F Throw % 1st Half:  6-13 46.2%   2nd Half: 22-31 71.0%   Game: 63.6%    8

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Officials:

Technical fouls: Mansfield University-CONNOR, Ian; TEAM. West Chester

University-None.

Attendance: 1500

Score by Periods                1st  2nd   Total

Mansfield University..........   25   49  -   74

West Chester University.......   30   51  -   81