Box Score  l  Morning Call (Tom Housenick): Nwaniemeka adjusting just fine at ESU

EAST STROUDSBURG – Sophomore guard Jamal Nwaniemeka scored a season-high 25 points, and No. 10-ranked East Stroudsburg University continued its unbeaten start with a 75-60 win over Gannon in non-conference men's basketball Friday afternoon at Koehler Fieldhouse.

The Warriors (12-0) matched the second-best start to a season in school history and have an opportunity to match the 13-0 start of the 2009-10 team on Saturday, when they host Clarion at 3 p.m. Ten of the 12 wins have come by double figures.

Nwaniemeka was 10-for-13 from the field and scored 16 points in the first half to lead four players in double figures. Freshman forward Rasheed Moore had 14 points and six rebounds, junior guard Matt Tobin had 13 points and six assists, and junior guard Whis Grant scored 10 points off the bench.

ESU extended its home non-conference winning streak to 37 games, which dates to November 27, 2007. Saturday's game vs. Clarion will be the final non-conference action at Koehler Fieldhouse this season.

The Warriors held a 27-13 advantage in turnovers after ranking fourth in Division II with a +7.7 margin per game entering the weekend. They had a 30-12 edge in points off turnovers and added 11 steals, just off their average of 11.5 – also fourth-best in DII.

ESU broke the game open with a 19-0 run midway through the first half after trailing 13-11 at the 12:35 mark. The Warriors blanked Gannon for more than seven minutes, holding them to 0-for-4 from the field with nine turnovers, and Nwaniemeka, Grant and redshirt junior guard Will Brown all hit three-pointers during the stretch.

The Warriors kept Gannon at arms length the rest of the way, leading 39-25 at halftime with a 14-4 edge in turnovers. ESU's biggest lead was 22 (51-29) with 16:14 left in the second half before Gannon got back within eight (59-51) with just over eight minutes left, but the Warriors answered every challenge.

Tobin scored nine of ESU's final 13 points, hitting a three-pointer and layup around the five-minute mark, then knocking down a jumper at the end of the shot clock for a 69-58 lead with 1:39 left.

Nwaniemeka punctuated the afternoon with a dunk to finish with 25 points, surpassing his season-high of 17 in a 96-68 win at Millersville on December 7.

Brown scored six points, senior forward Zechariah Runkle had five points, four rebounds and three steals and junior forward Lamont Tillery added two points for ESU, which had just seven players crack the scoring column.

Raphell Thomas-Edwards and Adam Blazek both scored 17 points to lead Gannon (6-6), which had won three straight before a 67-64 (OT) loss at Bloomsburg on December 21 in its last action.

ESU held Gannon to 40.0 percent (20-for-50) shooting, including 3-for-12 from the three-point line, while forcing 27 turnovers. The Warriors shot 45.8 percent (27-for-59) overall and 9-for-28 from long distance.

Clarion (2-7) enters Saturday's game coming off a 61-52 loss at Bloomsburg on Friday afternoon.


GAME NOTES

* ESU is ranked in the top 10 in DII for the 3rd week in program history. The Warriors were ranked 9th (Feb. 12) and 10th (Feb. 19) last season.

* Head coach Jeff Wilson improves to 195-127 in his 12th season. He ranks second in school history in career wins behind Ken Sisson (215-245 in 19 years – 1963-78, 79-83).

* ESU has a 12+ game winning streak for the 4th time in 7 years - also: 14 (2012-13), 13 (2009-10), 13 (2007-08)
* There are 8 winning streaks of 12+ games in school history. The school single-season record is 14 – 2012-13, and 1940-41.

* ESU's best-ever start was 13-0 in 2009-10. The 12-0 start is tied for 2nd with 1942-43 (entire season) and 1941-42 (18-1).

* The Warriors are 39-9 against PSAC West schools in the last 7+ years (since the 2006-07 season), going 20-4 at home and 19-5 on the road.
* They have two PSAC West games remaining this year – Saturday vs. Clarion, and Wednesday (Jan. 8) at new member Pitt-Johnstown.

* ESU has won 37 consecutive home non-conference games.
* ESU's last home non-conference loss was November 27, 2007 vs. Nyack (64-59).

* ESU's 11 wins before January 1 were its most in school history - previously: 9-0 (2009-10), 8-0 (1971-72), 8-1 (1993-94), 7-1 (1970-71)

* ESU finished 2013 with a record of 26-5 during the calendar year - 15-5 to finish 2012-13 (22-7 overall), and 11-0 to start 2013-14.
* The Warriors opened and closed the year with winning streaks of 10+ games.  They won their first 13 of 2013 (part of 14-game streak overall), and were 11-0 to open 2013-14.

* The Warriors have an all-time record of 991-975 as they approach the 1,000th win in program history.

* Moore scored in double figures for the 11th time in 12 games during his freshman season, ranking 2nd on ESU in scoring (13.8 ppg) and 1st in rebounding (6.2).

* When posting +5 turnover margin, ESU is: 9-0 this year, 24-2 the last 2 years, and 44-10 since the start of the 2009-10 season

* The Warriors are 94-37 since the start of the 2009-10 season