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EAST STROUDSBURG – Koehler Fieldhouse has hosted thousands of events since opening in 1967-68, but the men's basketball game between No. 20 East Stroudsburg University and No. 15 Kutztown will be the first time two nationally-ranked teams get together on the hardwood when they tip off the second half of PSAC East play.

The Warriors will bring a 19-1 overall record and 6-1 mark in PSAC East action into Saturday's match-up, while Kutztown (17-3, 4-3) has lost three of its last five games, including a 94-62 home loss to Cheyney on Wednesday, after a 15-0 start that saw the Golden Bears rise to the No. 2 spot in the NABC Coaches Poll on January 19.

ESU, which is nationally-ranked for the second time in school history, suffered its only loss of the season on January 13 with an 87-84 setback at Kutztown's Keystone Arena. Since then, the Warriors have rattled off six straight wins to take a one-game lead in the PSAC East standings over Cheyney and Mansfield, who are both 5-2.

The two squads have taken divergent paths to their national rankings. Kutztown was the PSAC East favorite and has been ranked in every poll by the NABC this season after opening at the year at No. 16. ESU, picked sixth in the PSAC East preseason predictions, did not receive votes in the poll until January 5 and entered the poll at No. 24 the next week after improving to 13-0, the best start in school history.

The teams are unique on the floor as well despite ranking first and second in the PSAC in scoring, with ESU first at 83.1 points per game and Kutztown close behind at 82.2. The Golden Bears boast the top scorer in Division II in guard Stephen Dennis, who is averaging 26.8 points per game, and forward Ryan Washington is third in the PSAC at 19.7 ppg.

Meanwhile, the Warriors don't have a player in the top 20 in the PSAC in scoring, with senior guard Andy Heimbach (13.6 ppg) checking in at 21 through Wednesday's games, but have eight players averaging at least 7.0 points.

ESU's top five scorers – Heimbach, junior forward Mike Tobin (10.2 ppg), freshman forward Terrance King (8.4), junior guard Micah Covert (8.4) and senior guard Robby Pines (8.3) – combine to score just under 50 points per game, while Dennis and Washington average 46.5 per night.

The contrast in teams, proximity of the schools and implications of the game, both in the PSAC and regionally – ESU is No. 3 in this week's NCAA Atlantic Region rankings, while Kutztown is No. 5 – should create a dynamic atmosphere at Koehler Fieldhouse following the initial meeting when Kutztown was ranked No. 3 nationally and ESU was No. 24 and playing its first game with a national ranking in 18 years.

Both teams shot nearly 50 percent and combined for just 21 turnovers in a game that lived up to the expectations of a showdown between two undefeated teams. Dennis scored a career-high 42 points for the Golden Bears and was 15-for-18 from the foul line in the second half, while ESU put five players in double figures, led by 16 points and eight rebounds from Tobin. Kutztown led 41-40 at halftime and opened a 10-point lead with 5:30 left before the Warriors got within one possession in the final minute.

ESU fans are also encouraged to help the Warriors “Man Up Against Cancer”, along with their support of the team at Koehler Fieldhouse this season. The program is partnering with the Dale and Frances Hughes Cancer Center at the Pocono Medical Center, which provides a full line of cancer treatment services to patients throughout the Poconos and surrounding areas.

T-shirts are available for $10 at the Warriors' home games or by contacting head coach Jeff Wilson at (570) 422-3339 or jwilson@po-box.esu.edu. The red t-shirts have a “Man Up” logo on the front and “6th Man” on the back, along with logos for the Warriors and the Pocono Medical Center.