BLOOMSBURG – The Bloomsburg University men's basketball team continues one of its longest standing rivalries this weekend and aims to open its road trip on a positive note against Millersville University on Saturday, Dec. 8 in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division contest at Pucillo Gymnasium set to tipoff at 3 p.m.
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on WHLM (930-AM) based out of Bloomsburg with Jim Doyle and Larry White calling all the action. In addition, listeners throughout the world can listen to and watch the game live on BU's website at www.buhuskies.com. The pre-game show will begin following the women's game.
The Huskies (2-4, 0-2 PSAC) open a season-long five-game road trip Saturday against the Marauders (6-2, 2-0). The series between the two teams has been fairly even as they have split the last eight matchups.
Saturday marks the 177th meeting between the Huskies and the Marauders. The two programs have a nearly identical record against each other as Millersville leads the overall series, 89-87. Bloomsburg will look to end an 11-year losing streak at Millersville, as it hasn't won at Millersville since the 2000-01 season, a 68-65 victory.
Junior forward
Dontahe Jordan (Williamsport/Williamsport) registered double-doubles in each of BU's opening three games this season, but has yet to notch one since. He is fourth in the PSAC in rebounding at 10.8 per game, and his 27 offensive rebounds are second in the PSAC behind Obade's 44.
Freshman point guard
Charles Haigler (Charles Town, WV/Hargrave Military Academy) had a career-high 21 points and six steals against Slippery Rock. He is seventh in the PSAC with 23 assists and is ninth with 12 steals. Haigler chips in 13.3 points per game and will need to be effective on both sides of the ball for the Huskies to get back in the win column on Saturday.
The Huskies have not shied away from shooting the three-pointer this season as they are second in the PSAC with 45 made three-pointers, only behind Millersville's 46, for a PSAC-leading average of 7.5 per game. Junior guard
Lorenzo Christmas (Norristown/Norristown)' 15 three-pointers are third in the PSAC, and his 37.5 percentage from beyond the arc rate seventh in the PSAC.
BU had a season-high 32 points off the bench against Slippery Rock and averages 12.5 points per game off the bench. Quality minutes from
Daniel Kusnyer (Wexford/Hillsborough CC),
Armand Leaks (Philadelphia/The Shipley School), and
Nasir Jones (Philadelphia/Franklin Learning Center) give Bloomsburg a solid rotation both in and outside of the paint.
Millersville is riding a six-game winning streak and is coming off a 60-48 win over Goldey-Beacom Wednesday night. Obade, this week's PSAC East Athlete of the Week, had a terrific game and had 28 points, 18 rebounds, and six blocks in the victory.
Larry Grant averages a team-best 18.1 points per game, fifth in the PSAC. Obade averages a PSAC-best 14.6 rebounds per game and has 23 blocks through eight games this season.
Following Saturday's game, Bloomsburg travels to Western Pennsylvania for a pair of crossover contests. It will play 22nd-ranked Indiana (PA) on Tuesday, Dec. 18, and California (PA) on Wednesday, Dec. 19 with both games set to tip at 7:30 p.m.
