Box Score
EAST STROUDSBURG - East Stroudsburg University closed the game with a 14-3 run over the final six minutes to seal its eighth straight victory, the longest streak since the 1972-73 season, in a 57-39 win over IUP on Sunday at Koehler Fieldhouse.
The win comes one year to the day after the passing of longtime ESU Sports Information Director Pete Nevins, who was in the fourth year of his 33-year career the last time the Warriors won at least eight straight games.
Senior forward Josh Wentz and junior forward Chris Bach both scored 10 points for ESU, senior forward Channon Easley added six points and 12 rebounds and the Warriors forced 23 turnovers leading to 13 steals in the victory.
IUP was led by freshman Darryl Webb, who had 16 points and 13 rebounds, but the rest of the Crimson Hawks were 9-of-26 from the field and scored 23 points. IUP was 3-of-14 from the foul line for the game.
ESU survived an off night from its leading scorer, sophomore guard Andy Heimbach, who shot 1-of-10 and scored a season-low four points, but got contributions from role players Mike DeMarco (six points, 2-of-2 on three's), Robbie Pines (five points, two steals) and Aaron Pinckney (seven points).
Pines sparked ESU with a steal and a layup seconds after he entered the game, and hit a three-pointer to give the Warriors a 15-9 advantage with 12:13 left in the first half, and DeMarco hit back-to-back three-pointers to extend the lead to 23-14.
The score remained stuck at 23-18 for almost four minutes before Webb broke the drought with a jumper, but Wentz hit a three-pointer in the final half-minute to give ESU a 28-23 advantage at the half.
A pair of buckets by Webb brought IUP within 28-27 before ESU rallied with a seven-point run, once again capped by a three by Wentz, to take a 35-27 lead.
The Warriors opened their first double-digit lead of the day with 13 minutes left, and led 43-36 before embarking on their game-closing run.
Junior guard Pat Fleury hit a three to give ESU a 48-36 lead, its largest to that point, with 5:26 to play. Easley made a pair of free throws, Pinckney hit a layup on an assist from Fleury, and Wentz closed the game with a pair of layups on assists from Bach and Easley as the Warriors turned a competitive game into a blowout.
ESU outscored IUP 29-16 in the second half as the Crimson Hawks shot 6-of-18 from the field and 3-of-9 from the foul line while committing 10 turnovers.
ESU had winning streaks of eight and 10 games while compiling a 23-4 record in 1972-73. This year's edition will look for its ninth straight win when it hosts Briarcliffe on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
