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EAST STROUDSBURG - East Stroudsburg University scored 68 second-half points to remain in a tie for the PSAC East men's basketball lead entering the final week of the regular season, running past No. 23-ranked West Chester for a 111-101 win on Saturday afternoon at Koehler Fieldhouse.

Redshirt junior guard Jakwan Jones had 11 points and a career-high 13 assists, including nine points and 10 assists in the second half, as the Warriors (19-5, 16-4) won their fifth straight game and eighth in the last nine.

West Chester (20-5, 16-5), tied with ESU and Shippensburg in the loss column entering Saturday, had won five straight.

ESU and Shippensburg (20-5, 16-4) lead the division with West Chester and Kutztown (19-5, 15-5) a game back.

ESU travels to Kutztown and Shippensburg travels to West Chester on Wednesday - wins by both home teams would create a four-way tie entering the final day of the regular season next Saturday, while ESU and Shippensburg have a chance to secure the division's top two seeds in the PSAC Tournament.

Redshirt senior forward Steve Harris scored 20 points, shooting 7-for-8 from the field after a 10-for-10 effort and 25 points in Wednesday's 94-76 win at Bloomsburg, to lead seven Warriors in double figures.

Junior guard Nick Giordano scored 17 points (5-for-6 from three) and freshman guard Marc Rodriguez had 16 (4-7 fg, 3-5 3's, 5-5 ft) - all in the second half - to pace an ESU offense that shot 11-for-23 from long distance.

Sophomore forward Kobi Nwandu scored 12 points, Jones had 11 and senior forward Ralik Wise and redshirt junior forward Josh Williams scored 10 each.

Sophomore guard Montrel Morgan had eight and senior guard Ryan Krawczeniuk had seven points and a season-high seven assists, combining with Jones for 20 of ESU's 27 assists.

The Warriors shot a season-best 62.1 percent (36-for-58), including the 11-for-23 effort from three, and 28-for-35 at the foul line with just 11 turnovers.

They shot 78.6 percent (22-for-26) overall, 7-for-10 from three and 17-for-20 at the line in the second half, pushing past the Golden Rams, 68-55, in the final 20 minutes.

Jackson Hyland had 30 points, six rebounds and five assists, Tyrell Long had 23 points and eight rebounds, Frank Rokins notched 16 points and 11 boards and Jawan Collins had 15 for West Chester, which handed ESU a 76-74 loss on January 17, then lost three straight before their five-game winning streak which ended Saturday.

ESU won its sixth straight vs. WCU at Koehler Fieldhouse and improves to 16-5 vs. the Golden Rams since the start of the 2009-10 season, including two PSAC championships - 2012 (W 90-85 at WCU) and 2014 (W 92-80 at Koehler).

ESU had a 19-11 turnover advantage to offset West Chester's 40-26 margin on the glass, but the Warriors' 62.1 field goal percentage - their fourth-best vs. a PSAC opponent in the last 16 years - was the difference.

West Chester led 46-43 at halftime, jumping out to a 30-19 lead in the first eight minutes. ESU stormed back to lead 41-36 with just under four minutes left, before WCU finished the half on a 10-2 run.

ESU responded to start the second half, outscoring the Golden Rams 19-7 in the first five minutes - 19-4 after Hyland opened the half with a three-point play.

WCU scored the next seven points to close within 62-60, but ESU answered again - a 12-2 run featuring eight points by Rodriguez made it 74-62 with 10:38 remaining.

ESU led by between nine and 15 the rest of the way, opening a 94-79 lead on a three by Giordano with 3:53 remaining before WCU cut it to 102-93 with 1:16 left.

ESU was 7-for-8 at the line down the stretch to seal the victory.

Jones' 13 assists are ESU's most since Matt Tobin had 14 against Millersville in the 2014 PSAC quarterfinals, and he registered his third 10-assist game of the season and second double-double after entering second in the PSAC in assists per game (5.7).

Harris had his second straight 20-point game after scoring 25 at Bloomsburg, posting 45 points on 17-for-18 shooting in the last two games, and extending his PSAC-best field goal percentage to 67.1.

Rodriguez's 16 points are one off his career-high which he set in the season opener at Clarion.

The Warriors put seven in double figures for the third time under 16th-year head coach Jeff Wilson and the second time this season, following the season-opening 113-71 victory at Clarion - their only two games with seven double-figure scorers vs. a PSAC school in Wilson's tenure.

ESU (94.4 ppg), fourth in NCAA Division II in scoring, extended its school record with its ninth 100-point game of the season.

Giordano's five three's matched his season-high, and ESU improves to 15-1 when making at least nine three-pointers in a game this season.

The Warriors improve to 11-2 at home, including 9-1 in PSAC games, entering the final week of the regular season.

After Wednesday's showdowns, ESU hosts Millersville, Shippensburg hosts Bloomsburg and Kutztown is at Lock Haven on Saturday. West Chester will finish its regular season on Wednesday vs. Shippensburg.

All four are guaranteed home PSAC Tournament games, with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds earning quarterfinal games on Wednesday, February 28 and the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds hosting first-round games on Monday, February 26.

The top PSAC East seed remaining following Wednesday's quarterfinals will host the PSAC Final Four on Saturday and Sunday (March 3-4).


GAME NOTES
* Giordano moved into ESU's single-season top 10 in 3-pointers made (59 - 9th)
* He moved into t-6th in career 3-pointers made (129)

Jones' 13 assists are t-2nd most by an ESU player under Jeff Wilson (16th year)
14 - Matt Tobin vs. Millersville (2014 PSAC quarterfinals)
13 - Matt Tobin at Pitt-Johnstown (2013-14)
13 - Jakwan Jones vs. West Chester (2017-18)

Jones (13) and Krawczeniuk (7) combined for 20 assists, the most by 2 teammates under Wilson (16 years)