KUTZTOWN “GOLDEN BEARS” at CLARION “GOLDEN EAGLES”

PSAC MEN’S CROSSOVER GAME INFORMATION

DATE: Jan. 8, 2005      LOCATION: Tippin Gym, Clarion, Pa.                       TIME: 3 p.m.

CLARION RADIO/INTERNET: WWCH 1300 AM in Clarion & www.redzonemedia.com

CLARION RECORD: 7-3                                         KUTZTOWN RECORD: 8-2

NEXT FOR CLARION: vs. West Chester Jan. 9        NEXT FOR KUTZTOWN: at Cheyney Jan. 12

RIGHTER NEARS 300

·                       Clarion head coach Ron Righter needs just two wins for 300 in his career. In his 19^th year as a head coach, Righter is 298-190 (.611) including a 274-166 (.623) mark in his 17^th season at Clarion, where he is the winningest coach in school history. Righter coached two seasons (1980-81) at Wilkes College going 24-24.

CLARION OF TO TRADITIONAL FAST START

·                       Golden Eagles are at least 7-3 after 10 games for the 13^th time in Righter’s 17 years as head coach.

EAGLES USE TO BEING IN TIGHT GAMES

·                       Being in tight games is nothing new for Clarion. With an 86-83 win at Cheyney right before Christmas, Clarion has played 25 games in the past three seasons that have been decided by six points or less. That is 37 percent of the Golden Eagles games. The trend actually goes back to 1997. Since then Clarion has played 72 games decided by two possessions or less, 31 percent of all its games, and has gone 38-33 in those games.   

CLARION EXCELS IN PSAC CROSSOVER PLAY

·                       Clarion has been very successful in PSAC Crossover play. Since its inception in 2000-01, the Golden Eagles are 21-10 against PSAC-East foes and that despite going just 4-6 against Millersville and Cheyney.

GREAT FROM THE FLOOR; NOT SO GREAT FROM THE LINE

·                       Clarion is shooting the lights out from the floor hitting a PSAC-leading 50.6 percent of its shots while ranking second in the conference from behind the 3-point arc at 37.8 percent. But the Golden Eagles have struggled from the line hitting only 59.2 percent of its charity shots, which ranks 13^th in the conference.

CLARION-KUTZTOWN SERIES

·                       Clarion and Kutztown have played 10 times since the 1993-94 season. The Golden Eagles have gone 9-1 during that stretch including eight straight wins. Last season, Clarion won 76-68 at Clarion Dec. 18. Michael Clarke led Clarion with 17 points, six rebounds and four steals. Lee Church and Terrance Vaughns each added 12 points at Ryan Wells had 10 rebounds. Jeff Brickus Clarion raced out to 43-24 halftime lead and then held off the Golden Bears in the second half. (See  box score for full details.)

ABOUT KUTZTOWN

·                       The Golden Bears are ranked fourth in the first NCAA Division II East Region poll released this week. IUP heads the poll. Other PSAC teams ranked include Edinboro (2^nd), Millersville (3^rd) and California (6^th).

·                       The 8-2 start is the best for Kutztown since starting 8-2 in 1977-78.

·                       The Golden Bears two loses have come by a total of 5 points (89-88 to Holy Family and 85-81 to IUP).

·                       Kutztown has scored 70 or more points in 10 of its 11 games this year and is averaging 82.0 ppg, the fourth highest total in the PSAC. Only California limited the Golden Bears to fewer than 70 points and that came in a 64-57 Kutztown win.