Box Score

MILLERSVILLE – No. 20 East Stroudsburg University took control of the game with a 15-0 run midway through the first half and improved to 19-1, the best 20-game start in school history, with a 72-63 win at Millersville's Pucillo Gymnasium on Wednesday night.

Senior guard Andy Heimbach scored 18 points and hit consecutive three-pointers during the decisive run as the Warriors opened a 26-8 lead with 8:02 left in the half. Millersville cut the margin to 38-28 at halftime, but never got closer than seven points as ESU finished the first half of PSAC East play in sole possession of first place at 6-1.

Freshmen forwards Marcus Brown and Duane Johnson scored 10 points each and combined for 18 points in the first half. Junior forward Mike Tobin had eight points and 10 rebounds and sophomore forward Eric Bryan stepped up with eight points – six in the second half.

The Warriors led 11-8 with just over 10 minutes left in the first half when they blitzed the Marauders with 15 straight points by the eight-minute mark. Brown and Johnson had back-to-back putbacks and Bryan hit two free throws to start the spurt. Heimbach drilled a pair of three-pointers within a 10-second span and Johnson hit another three less than a half-minute later for a 26-8 advantage.

Millersville scored the final eight points of the first half to close an 18-point lead to 10 and pulled within 40-33 early in the second half, but the Warriors kept the Marauders at bay. ESU shot 46 percent in the second half and responded to every challenge by pushing the lead back to double-digits.

Heimbach was 4-for-8 from long distance and 6-for-6 from the free throw line for his sixth game with at least 18 points this season. He hit a pair of three's in each half and and raised his free throw percentage to 86.0 (37-for-43) for the year.

ESU held a 44-28 advantage on the glass, including 18 offensive rebounds, led by Tobin who had at least 10 rebounds for the sixth time this season. Brown and Heimbach had six boards each, with Heimbach setting his season-high and Brown coming down with five offensive rebounds in the first half, including three putbacks.

Jim Kelleher led Millersville with 19 points and shot 5-for-12 from the three-point line, Brandon Widener scored 13 points and Alen Ahmetovic had 10 before fouling out with all five fouls coming in the second half.

The Warriors host Kutztown on Saturday at 3 p.m. to open the second half of division play. The Golden Bears (17-3, 4-3), ranked No. 15 in this week's NABC poll, suffered their second straight loss with a 94-62 setback at home vs. Cheyney on Wednesday night. Cheyney and Mansfield both share the second spot in the PSAC East with a 5-2 record.