Box Score  l  Morning Call: Warriors run past Kutztown

Interview: Coach Wilson on Warriors 13-2 start, previews Millersville and Shippensburg

KUTZTOWN - East Stroudsburg University went on a 20-2 run over the last 3:45 of the first half and put away Kutztown, 81-62, for its school record-setting ninth straight PSAC road win on Saturday afternoon at Keystone Arena.

The Warriors (13-2, 10-1) got 19 points each from senior forward Duane Johnson and sophomore guard Whis Grant and a career-high 18 points from freshman forward Dajon Todmann to continue their best-ever PSAC start as they defend their 2012 PSAC championship.

ESU has won seven straight and 11 of its last 12 overall, and is 7-0 on the road in the PSAC this season. The Warriors won their last two PSAC road games last year - 99-91 (OT) at Kutztown in the PSAC quarterfinals and 90-85 at West Chester in the PSAC championship game - and have won at Mercyhurst, Gannon, Cheyney, Slippery Rock, Edinboro, Mansfield and Kutztown this year. ESU had previously won eight straight PSAC road games from the 1939-40 through 1941-42 seasons.

Senior forward Terrance King added nine points and six rebounds and junior forward Zechariah Runkle had seven points and eight rebounds in his second straight start after posting career-highs of nine points and 13 rebounds in a 93-69 win at Mansfield on Wednesday.

Todmann scored 12 points in the first half - eight in the run at the end of the period, including a putback dunk as time expired - and equaled his season total of 18 points that he had entering the game. He was 7-for-9 from the field and 4-for-4 at the foul line and also had five rebounds and two blocks, combining with King to produce 27 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks against a Kutztown lineup that was limited to six players due to injury.

Grant has scored 101 points in his last four games after posting 28 at Slippery Rock, 29 at Edinboro and 25 at Mansfield. He hit a three-pointer late in the first half and had 12 points in the second half, including two more three's to put the game away in the last four minutes.

Johnson moved into 14th on ESU's career scoring list with 1,166 points, passing Andy Heimbach (1,153 - 2006-10) and Pete Pasko (1,162 - 941-43). He is 82 points from the top 10 and joined Jonathan Roberts as the only players in the top 10 in career steals and blocks at Mansfield on Wednesday.

ESU shot 50.0 percent from the field (29-for-58), 5-for-15 from the three-point line and 18-for-24 at the foul line, while holding advantages of 37-32 in rebounds and 18-13 in turnovers.

Micah Fraction scored 25 points, Tyler Brooks had 13 and Kenny Battle 10 points and 10 rebounds for Kutztown (3-14, 2-9). Brooks and Battle both played all 40 minutes and Fraction fouled out in the final minute of play. Ryan Connolly added nine points and seven rebounds and Tracy Peal had five points and six boards.

Kutztown led 9-2 before ESU put together a 13-4 run to take the lead (15-13) on a three-pointer by Runkle at the midpoint of the first half.

It was 21-21 when Brooks scored with just under five minutes left, but the Warriors nearly doubled their point total in the final four minutes to take a commanding lead into the locker room.

Sophomore guard Matt Tobin (four points, four assists) scored two buckets around a three by Johnson, and Todmann scored six straight points for a 34-21 lead. Then Grant hit a three, Johnson made two free throws after a KU turnover, and Todmann closed the half with an offensive rebound and dunk after Kutztown ended an 18-0 run with two free throws.

The Warriors led 41-23 at the half and Kutztown wouldn't get closer than 13 points (55-42 with 11 minutes left) in the second half. ESU hasn't trailed in the second half in any of its last three games, all on the road, including double-figure leads in the last two games.

ESU hosts Millersville (12-5, 8-3), which is tied for second in the PSAC East with West Chester (10-5, 8-3), on Wednesday night at Koehler Fieldhouse. Millersville upended West Chester, 68-64, on Saturday.

GAME NOTES
* ESU has a .500 record as a program for the first time in 16 years - since January 18, 1997. The Warriors are 970-970 in their 86th season of varsity basketball.
* ESU was 52 games under .500 (796-848) when head coach Jeff Wilson took over the program in 2002-03. They were 66 games under (829-895) after Wilson's third season - but are 66 games over (141-75) in the last 7+ years.
* The Warriors are 73-32 in the last 3+ years - including three straight PSAC Final Fours, a school-record 24 wins in 2009-10, two NCAA Tournament trips (2010, 2012) and the second PSAC championship in school history last season.

* ESU is 17-3 in its last 20 games, going back to the final game of the regular season last year.

* In ESU's 7 PSAC road wins this season - Warriors are outscoring opponents 79.4 to 68.1 (+11.3) and have a +5.6 advantage in turnovers per game.
* Grant is scoring 20.3 ppg in those 7 games, followed by Johnson (15.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and King (12.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg).

* In ESU's 9 straight PSAC road wins, 7 of the Warriors opponents have entered with records at or above .500, and the Warriors have scored 80+ points 7 times. They have a margin of victory of +10.2 in that stretch:

2012 PSAC quarters at Kutztown (18-8) - W 99-91 (OT)
2012 PSAC final at West Chester (19-9) - W 90-85
12-1-12 at Mercyhurst (2-2) - W 67-62
12-2-12 at Gannon (5-0) - W 52-46
12-8-12 at Cheyney (3-2) - W 94-91
1-11-13 at Slippery Rock (9-2) - W 84-72
1-12-13 at Edinboro (9-3) - W 85-75
1-16-13 at Mansfield (5-8) - W 93-69
1-19-13 at Kutztown (3-13) - W 81-62

* Grant is shooting 53.6 percent (30-56) from the field, 53.6 percent (15-28) from the 3-point line and 86.7 percent (26-30) from the foul line in the last 4 games.

* Runkle is averaging 8.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in the last 2 games (24.5 minutes per game). He averaged 3.2 points and 3.3 rebounds in 13.4 minutes in the first 13 games of the season.

* King moved into ESU's top 10 in career field goals made (443), passing Todd Painton (441 - 1988-92), who was inducted to the ESU Athletic Hall of Fame in October.
* He also moved within one point of Painton on the career scoring list with 1,143.
* He moved within one free throw of the top 10 with 254 career free throws made.
* He also moved into a tie for 8th in career rebounds with 597, matching the late Ed Urie (1985-90).