CLARION (15-11 OVERALL, 5-6 PSAC-WEST) AT SHIPPENSBURG (10-16, 2-9)
PSAC-WEST MEN’S BASKETBALL
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 28, 2004; 3 p.m. WHERE: Shippensburg, Pa. Heiges, Field House
LAST 10 GAMES: Clarion is 3-7; Shippensburg is 2-8
LAST GAMES: Clarion beat Edinboro 62-55; Ship beat IUP 55-53 Wednesday
NEXT GAMES: Clarion will be at California Wednesday in the first round of the PSAC Playoffs; Shippensburg’s season is over
CLARION-SHIPPENSBURG LAST 10 GAMES: Clarion leads 7-3
LAST CLARION WIN AT SHIPPENSBURG: Jan. 10, 2001 – Clarion 72-58
THIS SEASON: Clarion beat Shippensburg 71-64 Jan. 31 at Clarion – See attached box score
RECENT SERIES HISTORY: Clarion’s win at home the last day of January broke a three-game losing streak against Shippensburg … The Golden Eagles had lost those three meetings by a grand total of eight points including twice last year by a combined three points … Shippensburg beat Clarion 98-96 at Ship a year ago after leading by as many as 13 points in the second half … Clarion has struggled at Heiges Field House over the years going just 5-9 on the gray floor since 1990 … The Golden Eagles did win three straight at Shippensburg from 1999-2001 but have lost their last two games there.
GOLDEN EAGLE NOTES: With the 62-55 win over Edinboro Wednesday Clarion not only snapped its 7-game losing streak but thanks to California’s win over Slippery Rock also clinched a PSAC Playoff berth for a PSAC-West leading eighth straight season … Clarion & West Chester are tied for the longest active PSAC Playoff appearance streaks … The Golden Eagles won the PSAC title in 2001 and were PSAC runner-ups in 1997 … Last year Clarion made it to the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Millersville … Clarion will play at Cal in the opening round Tuesday … The Golden Eagles lost twice to the Vulcans this year after beating them twice last year … It will be the first playoff meeting between the two schools since Cal won 88-64 at Cal in 1999 … In snapping its longest losing streak since the 1989-90 season, Clarion rallied from a 15-point first-half deficit to get the win … The Eagles trailed 30-15 with 4:23 left in the first half before ending the half on a 13-0 run … Clarion then took the lead in the early moments of the second half and closed out the game by hitting six straight free throws in the final 41.7 seconds … Ryan Wells led the way with 20 points, 13 rebounds, 5 steals, Terrance Vaughns had 14 points and Michael Clarke eight points and 13 rebounds
WELLS CONTINUES TO PACE EAGLES DURING CONFERENCE PLAY: 6-2 junior forward Ryan Wells, despite always playing against player 4 to 6 inches taller than him every night, continues to be Clarion’s steadying force during PSAC-West play … He is averaging a team-high 24.6 ppg and a team-best 8.5 rpg during conference play … He also has 18 steals, 19 assists and two blocks against PSAC-West foes … His double-double Wednesday night is the 6th double-double he has had this season including his 5th in his last 10 games … Wells comes from a good Clarion bloodline … His father Reggie, Sr. is a Clarion Hall of Famer in basketball who ranks second in school history in scoring (2,011 points) and rebounding (1,120) … His brother Reggie, Jr., was an All-American football tackle for the Golden Eagles from 1999-2002 who now plays in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals after being selected in the 6th round of last April’s draft … Also, his mom, Diane, is a 1979 Clarion graduate who received the 2003 Distinguished Volunteer Award from the Clarion University Alumni Association.