Box Score

KUTZTOWN - Ethan Ridgeway scored 20 points and Ryan Connolly had 19, including Kutztown's last nine in the final minute, as the Golden Bears pushed past East Stroudsburg University for a 90-83 win in PSAC East men's basketball on Saturday afternoon at Keystone Arena.

Senior guard Jamal Nwaniemeka and junior forward Rasheed Moore both scored 16 points and junior forward Steve Harris had 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead ESU (17-6, 13-6), which falls two games behind Kutztown and West Chester for the PSAC East lead with three games remaining in the regular season.

Ridgeway had 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists off the bench, Connolly had 19, Josh Johnson 12 points and eight rebounds and Anthony Lee 11 points for Kutztown (18-5, 15-4).

ESU had won nine straight games and 11 of the last 12 vs. Kutztown. The win is KU's first vs. ESU on its home floor since the 2010-11 regular season as the Warriors had won six straight at Keystone Arena, including PSAC quarterfinal wins in 2011 and 2012, when they went on the win the PSAC title.

ESU led by as many as 17 points (45-28) at the 2:30 mark of the first half, before Kutztown closed the half on a 10-2 run to get within 47-38 at the break.

The Warriors stayed in front until the final five minutes, when Ridgeway scored to put KU ahead 77-75 with 4:12 remaining.

ESU responded with a 7-2 run, taking an 82-79 lead on a three by Nwaniemeka with 2:23 remaining. Johnson scored for KU to make it 82-81, and Connolly hit a three-pointer to put Kutztown in front for good, 84-82, with 58.8 seconds left.

Connolly was 6-for-6 at the foul line down the stretch to close the game.

Freshman guard Najee Walls had 11 points and six assists for ESU, going 3-for-4 from the three-point line. Redshirt junior guard Quindell Brice added 10 points.

ESU has won the last three PSAC East regular season titles, all outright, but falls two games behind KU and West Chester entering the final two weeks. The Warriors won 88-83 vs. West Chester on Wednesday, sweeping the season series, to pull within one game of the division lead entering Saturday.

The Warriors travel to Mansfield (5-17, 3-14) on Wednesday night, host Lock Haven next Saturday (Feb. 20) and head to Millersville on February 24 to close the regular season.

GAME NOTES
* ESU's last 3 PSAC East titles (2013-15) are the division's longest stretch since Millersville (1985-87).
* ESU's 3 straight outright PSAC East titles are the most since Cheyney won 5 straight (1976-80).

Updated PSAC East standings:
15-4 - West Chester (19-4 overall)
15-4 - Kutztown (18-5)
13-6 - ESU (17-6)
13-6 - Bloomsburg (15-8)
13-7 - Shippensburg (16-8)
8-12 - Lock Haven (12-12)
3-15 - Mansfield (5-18)
3-15 - Millersville (3-19)
1-17 - Cheyney (2-19)

1 and 2 - 1st round bye (host quarterfinals Tuesday March 1)
3 and 4 - host 1st round Saturday February 27
5 and 6 - travel for 1st round