ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE MEN'S BASKETBALL
Wednesday, February 5, 2003

Etown Avenges Early Season Loss to Widener, Blue Jays Win 80-67

CHESTER, Pa. --- Elizabethtown avenged an early season loss to Commonwealth Conference rival Widener, one of just two teams in the conference to beat Etown this year, with an 80-67 road win Wednesday night. Etown improved to 13-6 overall and 7-2 in the conference with the win, while Widener dropped to 7-12 overall and 3-6 in the Commonwealth with the loss.

The Blue Jays shot nine-for-15 (60.0%) from three-point range, 21-for-29 (72.4%) from the free throw line, and out-rebounded Widener 44-32 for the game. Widener, by contrast made 11-of-24 (45.8%) of its three-point attempts and was four-for-eight from the free throw line. Etown got 31 points and 13 rebounds from its bench, while Widener had just 12 points and four rebounds from off the bench.

Jon English (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddon Township) led Elizabethtown in scoring with 18 points, and he pulled down seven rebounds. Brian Loftus (Doylestown, PA/Central Bucks West) scored 13 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and led the Blue Jays with four assists, and Ben Tannous (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) scored 13 points from off the bench with a three-for-four performance from the three-point line and a four-for-four performance at the free throw line. Kyle Conrad (Shillington, PA/Governor Mifflin) added 12 points and seven rebounds to Etown's totals from off the bench, going four-for-six from the field and hitting his only three-point attempt. Darryl Brown (Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin) led Elizabethtown in rebounding with nine boards.

Bilal McAfee led Widener with 18 points, and Casey Stitzel added 17 points. Markiese Merceir added 10 points and led Widener with 11 rebounds.

Etown will return to action on the road against conference rival Juniata Saturday, February 8 in an 8:00 p.m. game.

02/05/03 7:00 p.m. at Schwartz Athletic Center - Chester, PA
ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE 80, WIDENER 67
ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE (13-6; 7-2)
Jon English 6-17 6-6 18; Ben Tannous 3-4 4-4 13; Brian Loftus 4-10 2-3 13; Kyle Conrad 4-6 3-6 12; Jon Connor 3-9 0-2 7; Ian Daecher 2-4 2-2 6; Chad Heller 2-2 0-0 5; Kyle Stem 1-2 2-2 4; Darryl Brown 0-4 2-4 2. Totals 25-58 21-29 80.
WIDENER (7-12; 3-6)
Bilal McAfee 8-15 0-0 18; Casey Stitzel 7-14 0-0 17; Markiese Merceir 3-9 1-2 10; Matt Sheaffer 3-6 2-2 9; Tim Whalen 3-7 0-0 8; Brandon Blakey 1-6 1-3 3; Terry Smith 1-2 0-1 2; Kyle Fisher 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-60 4-8 67.
Elizabethtown College…….......... 41 39 - 80
Widener University.................... 37 30 - 67
3-point goals-Elizabethtown College 9-15 (Ben Tannous 3-4; Brian Loftus 3-5; Chad Heller 1-1; Kyle Conrad 1-1; Jon Connor 1-3; Kyle Stem 0-1), Widener 11-24 (Casey Stitzel 3-6; Markiese Merceir 3-5; Bilal McAfee 2-4; Tim Whalen 2-4; Matt Sheaffer 1-4; Brandon Blakey 0-1). Fouled out-Elizabethtown College-None, Widener-Markiese Merceir; Bilal McAfee. Rebounds-Elizabethtown College 44 (Darryl Brown 9), Widener 32 (Markiese Merceir 11). Assists-Elizabethtown College 12 (Brian Loftus 4), Widener 10 (Bilal McAfee 6). Total fouls-Elizabethtown College 14, Widener 20. A-200