Box Score
EAST STROUDSBURG - Senior forward
Chris Bach had 23 points, 15 rebounds and six blocked shots and had the go-ahead offensive rebound and putback with 16 seconds left as East Stroudsburg University knocked off preseason PSAC East favorite Kutztown, 77-73, in the conference opener for both schools on Wednesday night at Koehler Fieldhouse.
Bach grabbed his fifth offensive rebound and laid the ball in to put ESU (10-4, 1-0) ahead 75-73 after sophomore forward Mike Tobin missed a driving layup at the end of the shot clock with 20 seconds left.
Kutztown's Stephen Dennis, the PSAC's second-leading scorer entering the game, missed a jumper at the other end and the Warriors claimed the rebound with three seconds on the clock. ESU inbounded the ball to sophomore guard Mike DeMarco, who sank both free throws to seal the victory.
There were seven lead changes and three ties in the last 10 minutes, as Bach scored 10 of the Warriors' final 21 points down the stretch. Junior guard Andy Heimbach had 14 points in the game, including a jumper that put ESU ahead 69-65 with 4:25 left.
Kutztown (11-3, 0-1) responded with buckets by Mark Bower and Dave Ben, who led the Golden Bears with 24 points, to tie the game with less than three minutes to play. Dennis gave Kutztown its final lead with two free throws at the 2:08 mark before Heimbach knocked down another jumper, then gave the Warriors the lead at 73-71 with a fast-break layup after junior guard Robby Pines had a steal and pitched the ball ahead.
Ben knotted the game at 73-all with a long jumper with 58 seconds to play after Kutztown grabbed two offensive rebounds. Tobin took the ball to the rim at the end of ESU's possession, drew iron and Bach put it back in for the game-winning points.
Kutztown scored eight straight points over the final 1:46 of the first half to take a 38-37 lead at the break, as Ben scored 16 of his 24 points before intermission. The Golden Bears extended the run to 18-2 with a 10-2 push in the first 2:44 coming out of the locker room before the Warriors came back, sparked by back-to-back three's by Heimbach, to set up the hectic final 10 minutes.
Dennis scored 14 points but was just 3-of-15 from the field, while Ben hit nine of his 14 shots from the field for Kutztown. Ryan Washington contributed seven points, 17 rebounds and five blocked shots and Andre Woodlin scored 11 points.
ESU received standout point guard play from Pines and senior Pat Fleury, who combined for 15 points, 12 assists and just one of the Warriors' 12 turnovers, their second fewest of the season. Fleury had all nine points and six of his seven assists in the first half, while Pines closed the game with four of his five assists in 13 second-half minutes.
The Warriors will look for a 2-0 start in PSAC East play on Saturday at Shippensburg, a member of the conference's Eastern division for the first time in 2008-09. The tip is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Heiges Field House following the nationally-televised women's game on CBS College Sports Television.
