Box Score

EAST STROUDSBURG - The East Stroudsburg University women's basketball team opened the defense of its back-to-back PSAC East championships with a 74-66 win over Cheyney at Koehler Fieldhouse.

DeAnna Rayam led a trio of ESU sophomores with a career-high 19 points, followed by Jhazmin Brown with 16 points and Mel Villano with nine.

ESU led 41-36 at halftime and 44-36 after Villano hit a three-pointer a minute into the second half before the Wolves went on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to one.

Cheyney took its first lead of the game on a three-pointer by Danielle Jones with 10:25 left to set off a seven-minute stretch in which neither team led by more than one possession.

Rayam broke a 59-59 tie with a three-pointer with 3:29 to play and scored six points in a 9-0 run that gave the Warriors a 68-59 advantage with 1:37 left. Rayam, Brown and junior guard Keri Cahill each made two free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

ESU was 27-of-32 from the foul line for the contest, led by 8-for-9 performances from Rayam and Brown. Rayam also tied her career-high with eight rebounds.

Lillian Penn had 15 points and six rebounds to lead Cheyney.

The Warriors will host the University of the Sciences in its next action on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Koehler Fieldhouse.