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EAST STROUDSBURG - Redshirt senior forward Steve Harris had a career-high 25 points with 11 rebounds, redshirt junior guard Jakwan Jones had 13 points and a career-high 10 assists and East Stroudsburg University held off Kutztown, 101-95, for a key win in PSAC East men's basketball on Saturday afternoon at Koehler Fieldhouse.

ESU (12-4, 9-3) posted its third win over a top PSAC contender in the last 17 days, winning 90-79 vs. defending PSAC champion Shippensburg (13-3, 9-2) on January 3, winning 85-82 at PSAC West leader IUP (13-5, 9-2) on January 10 and topping last year's PSAC runner-up Kutztown (13-3, 9-3) on Saturday. The Warriors fell 76-74 at PSAC East co-leader West Chester (15-2, 11-2) on Wednesday night.

West Chester leads Shippensburg in the PSAC East standings by two games in the win column after Saturday's action, with ESU and Kutztown tied for third at 9-3 - 3.5 games ahead of fifth-place Bloomsburg (10-7, 6-7).

Sophomore forward Kobi Nwandu added 21 points, four rebounds and a career-high seven assists and junior guard Nick Giordano scored 14 points for the Warriors, who built a 51-31 lead with just over three minutes left in the first half and led 57-47 at halftime.

Ethan Ridgeway, the NCAA Division II leader in assists (8.1), had 32 points, six assists and 10 turnovers for Kutztown, which nearly overcame first-half foul trouble for Anthony Lee, the PSAC's third-leading scorer (22.6 ppg). Lee, who picked up his third foul just over eight minutes in the game, scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half.

Moe Williams added 14 points and 16 rebounds and Max Wagner scored 14 points for KU, which had won five straight since a 95-89 loss at West Chester on December 30.

ESU ended a three-game slide in the series after winning nine straight vs. Kutztown, including a 99-91 (OT) road win in the 2012 PSAC quarterfinals on the way to the first of two PSAC titles in a three-year stretch (2012, 2014).

Harris had his third straight double-double, his fourth of the season and the 14th of his career. He had 11 points and 13 rebounds in a 98-62 win vs. Bloomsburg last Saturday, and 10 points and 11 rebounds in the loss at West Chester on Wednesday. He is the first Warrior since Chris Bach in 2009 to post three straight double-doubles.

Harris also had his third 20-point game of the season and the fourth of his career, going 8-for-10 from the field and 9-for-13 at the foul line.

Jones dished seven of his career-high 10 assists in the first half, and scored eight of his 13 points in the second half to help keep the Warriors in front.

ESU topped 100 points for the sixth time in 16 games this season, one off the school record of seven established in three of the last four years (2013-14, 2015-16, 2016-17).

The Warriors entered as the PSAC leader, and fourth in DII, with 93.3 points per game. Kutztown was second with 87.6 ppg.

ESU led 23-13 when Lee went to the bench with his third foul with 11:47 left in the first half, and Kutztown cut the margin to seven (27-20) before the Warriors pulled away to go up 20 (51-31) at the 3:22 mark.

KU outscored ESU 16-6 to the end of the half, with Ridgeway hitting a three at the buzzer to cut the halftime margin to 10.

The Warriors kept Kutztown at arms length until midway through the second half, getting three's from Ridgeway and Lee, a layup by Lee and two free throws by Ridgeway to cut a 12-point ESU lead to four (77-73) with 8:49 remaining.

ESU had a big six-point run, including a jumper and a three by Giordano, to go in front 88-77 with 5:55 left, the three coming after Ridgeway committed his 10th turnover and Jones picked up his 10th assist.

KU never got closer than six the rest of the way, with Harris (2-for-2), Jones (2-for-2) and Nwandu (3-for-4) going 7-for-8 at the foul line late in the contest.

Harris pushed his season averages to 14.7 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 63.2 percent, second in the PSAC. He is averaging 15.3 points and 11.7 rebounds over the last three contests.

Jones entered second in the PSAC in assists (5.1 apg) and had 10 of ESU's 26 assists on 31 made field goals.

Redshirt junior forward Josh Williams (9 points) and freshman guard Marc Rodriguez (8 points) supplemented ESU's four double-figure scorers. Senior guard Ryan Krawczeniuk scored five points, senior forward Ralik Wise had three and junior guard Kitt Najee Walls had four assists.

ESU's 29-19 advantage in points off turnovers and 31-21 advantage in made free throws were two of the difference makers, as both teams shot the ball well from the field - ESU at 47.0 percent (31-for-66, 8-for-17 from 3) and Kutztown at 46.6 percent (34-for-73, 6-for-22 from 3).

ESU was 31-for-46 at the foul line, and Kutztown was 21-for-30.

The Warriors had a 19-17 advantage in turnovers and posted 11 steals after leading DII in turnovers forced (23.3) and steals (13.1) per game entering the weekend.

Kutztown's Bernie Driscoll (299 career wins in his 18th season) and ESU's Jeff Wilson (283 wins in his 16th season) are the PSAC's two winningest active coaches. Driscoll ranks eighth in PSAC history, and Wilson is 11th and just two wins from entering the top 10. Both have led their teams to four NCAA DII Tournament appearances.

GAME NOTES
* Harris (25) and Nwandu (21) are the first ESU teammates with 20+ points in the same game since Rasheed Moore (23) and Jamal Nwaniemeka (22) in a 107-88 loss at Southern Connecticut State in February 2015.