Millersville's men's basketball team had an impromptu team meeting Sunday, the gist of which, veteran guard Charlie Parker said, was, "Let's get focused, let's get in the gym, let's do this thing as a team."

And then Monday, they got in the gym for practice, and coach Fred Thompson didn't want to let them out.

"We had one of our best practices," he said. "I don't know if our defense was bad or we were just scoring, but we shot the ball extremely well. We had kids in the post scoring extremely well.

"I wanted the practice to keep going, but I knew I had to stop it so the kids could get some rest."

So while most everyone wondered what team would show up in the postseason, the Marauders had an inkling that the pretty good one was ready to make another appearance.

And that's exactly what happened Tuesday night at Kutztown, when MU put a 99-88 whipping on the Golden Bears in the PSAC quarterfinals in front of 1,950 fans in Keystone Hall.

For reasons that maybe only a psychiatrist could explain, the team that shot just 28.7 percent from 3-point range for the season connected on 11-of-16 from beyond the arc — 68.8 percent.

Five players scored in double figures, led by Parker (27), Reggie Bates (18) and Cory Bray (17). Those three took all of MU's 3-point shots, Parker draining 4-of-5, Bray 5-of-8 and Bates 2-of-3.

With the hot hands outside, 6-6 big men RayQuan Miles and Bernard Brown had a field day inside. Each scored 12 points, and Brown grabbed 11 rebounds and Miles 10 as Millersville outrebounded a taller Kutztown team, 47-34.

The Marauders owned the boards, 28-13, in the second half.

"This was a great game," Parker said. "We're defending champions, and we felt that we had to come out and show that type of heart.

"This year, because of the standings, people might think other teams are more talented than us, but we feel that we have the experience to do things in the playoffs.

"And I think this is a big statement."

MU, now 20-8, advanced to the PSAC Final Four at Cheyney. MU will take on Edinboro in one semifinal on Friday at 5:30 p.m. Edinboro beat IUP, 72-56, last night in Edinboro.

Cheyney had a harder time than expected with East Stroudsburg, but the Wolves held on to win, 71-69, last night at Cheyney. The Wolves will meet California at 7:30 p.m. in the other semi. Cal beat Clarion 82-66 in the quarters last night.

Edinboro (23-5) tied Cal for first place in the PSAC West, but MU won 78-73 in overtime when the teams met at Pucillo Gym on Dec. 1.

"My hat's off to my kids," Thompson said. "I was tough on them this year, and we were able to advance."

MU shot just 1-of-18 from 3-point range when it lost to Kutztown here in late January, so the Bears opened with a defense that dared MU to shoot.

As Kutztown coach Bernie Driscoll admitted afterward, "That backfired."

Parker hit a 3-pointer for MU's first points, then Bray hit one a few minutes later.

Before the first half was over, Bray would drain 4-of-5 from beyond the arc and Parker 3-of-4 as the Marauders shot 70 percent from 3-point range in the first half.

"I know from history, teams, especially Kutztown, love to let us shoot," Parker said. "I knew it was going to be there.

"I told Coach (Monday), we're going to hit them."

Still, it was just 45-all at halftime. So Driscoll pressured MU's guards in the second half, and the Marauders went inside to Miles and Brown.

Miles had 10 points and seven boards in the second half. Brown had all 12 of his points after the break.

"We started locking on the outside... Fred's a good coach, he saw that, and punished us inside," Driscoll said.

"You've got to give their two big kids credit. I thought they got just about every offensive rebound. They wanted it a little bit more than we did."

When Bates drained a 3-pointer from the corner, MU had a 72-63 lead. Kutztown cut its deficit to three, 72-69, then Parker drained a 3.

A short jumper by Bates and a tip-in by Miles put the lead back to eight, 79-71, with 5:57 left.

Kutztown closed to within four, 90-86, with 1:25 left. But then Miles scored on a tip-in, and after a Kutztown miss, Parker got the rebound and fed Brown for a breakaway dunk.

Game, set and match.

"We were 11-for-16," Thompson marveled. "That's the best we probably shot threes in the history of Millersville.

"All you need is one game like that, and you advance."

It came at the right time.

NOTES: Kutztown also had five players in double figures, led by Stephen Dennis's 22 points. ... The loss finishes Kutztown's season at 19-9. It was the second straight season the Bears lost a home playoff game in the PSAC quarterfinals.

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