Box Score l
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Highlights: Clarion l
Lock Haven l
Coach Wilson's thoughts
EAST STROUDSBURG – Lock Haven ran out to a 25-5 lead and East Stroudsburg University never got closer than nine points the rest of the way, as the Bald Eagles upset the defending PSAC champion Warriors, 68-58, on Tuesday night at Koehler Fieldhouse.
Kasheef Festus had 20 points and six rebounds despite sitting out most of the second half due to foul trouble, Wali Hepburn had 14 points, five rebounds and seven assists and Terrell Johnson had 10 points to lead Lock Haven (4-3, 2-2), which went 0-26 a year ago but already has four wins this season.
Senior forward
Duane Johnson scored 11 points, sophomore guard
Whis Grant had 10 and senior forward
Terrance King had five points and 12 rebounds for ESU (6-2, 3-1), which suffered its first loss to a PSAC school since falling 80-78 (OT) at Bloomsburg in the second-to-last regular season game last year.
ESU had won seven straight games against PSAC competition, beating Cheyney in the regular season finale, winning three straight to earn the second PSAC championship in school history, and opening this year at 3-0 in conference play. The Warriors' seven-game streak was their second-best in the last 40 years behind a nine-game run during the 2007-08 season.
All three undefeated PSAC teams lost on Tuesday - all at home - with Slippery Rock falling to West Chester, 56-53, and Millersville falling to Gannon, 69-52. ESU had won four straight overall.
Lock Haven shot 53.2 percent (25-for-47) – including 10-for-12 in its game-opening run and 14-for-23 in the first half – to keep the Warriors at arms length throughout the night.
ESU closed within 35-26 at halftime with a 13-3 run over the final six minutes – but Lock Haven answered every spurt in the second half.
Senior forward
Gerald Bridges had eight points and seven rebounds. Junior forward
Zechariah Runkle scored a career-high nine points and tied his career-high with five rebounds in 14 minutes, and senior guard
Blair Ramsey scored a season-high six points and added four assists.
ESU had won eight straight in the series, including a 94-51 win at Lock Haven last year in which the Warriors opened a 31-1 lead midway through the first half.
The Warriors will look to rebound on Wednesday night, hosting Clarion (3-4, 2-2) at 7:30 p.m. The Golden Eagles are coming off a 69-57 win at Kutztown on Tuesday.