EAST STROUDSBURG -- Despite building a 15-point first half lead, the East Stroudsburg University men's basketball team could not overcome a slow start offensively in the second half in a 76-70 loss to Millersville on Wednesday evening inside Koehler Fieldhouse.

The Warriors fall 6-5, 4-3 in conference action, while the Marauders improve to 10-4, 4-4 in the PSAC. ESU remains in second-place in the PSAC East, with the better winning percentage.

Notables

• Carlos Pepin strung together his fourth double-double of his redshirt junior season, leading ESU in scoring with 18 points and off the glass with 10 rebounds. The Lodi, N.J. native shot 6-of-13 from the field and made all six of his attempts from the line. He also led the Warriors with three steals.
• Joining Pepin in double-figures in points were Justin Paz (16 points, 6-12 FG), Troy Jones (15 points), and Mike Millsip (10 points, 6 rebounds). 
• The Warriors were only able to muster six field goals in the second half, shooting 25 percent (6-24 FG, 1-14 3PT) from the floor. ESU supplemented the poor shooting performance from the field by making 15-of-18 attempts from the free throw line. As a result, Millersville outscored ESU 42-28 in the second half.  
• Ville's Caden Najdawi (6-11 FG, 10-12 FT) and James Sullivan (10-16 FG) each posted 22 points to lead the Marauders.
• ESU leading scorer Lakeem McAliley got into foul trouble early and eventually fouled out after 10 minutes of action on the court. McAliley did not record a field goal attempt, but grabbed four rebounds, posted a block and a point on the evening in limited action.
• The game for the Warriors was just its second contest over the past 24 days, due to COVID-19 precautions postponed games against Kutztown and Bloomsburg.

How it Happened

• ESU built and early 9-2 lead, but Millersville would slice the deficit to one point at 11-10 with 13:08 left in the opening half.
• The Warriors would then balloon its lead to 15 points after scoring 14 consecutive points at 25-10. During the impressive offensive stretch, ESU shot 6-of-7 from the field and picked up a pair of steals and forced three turnovers defensively. Jones, Paz, Marc Rodriguez, Millsip and Pepin all scored during the scoring run.
• Millersville would cut the ESU lead as low as eight after a layup from Sullivan with three seconds remaining. The Warriors would head into the locker room with a 42-34 lead.ESU shot 48.5 percent in the first half, with 16-of-33 field goal attempts finding the twine. Sullivan had 16 points in the first half, while Pepin posted 12 points and six rebounds through the first 20 minutes of action.
• After ESU retook a 10-point lead at 44-34, Millersville slowly chipped away at the lead. The Marauders posted a 20-5 run over the course of the next 11:19 of action, to take a 54-49 lead. The Warriors went cold from the floor, shooting 2-of-12 during that stretch, with seven attempts from beyond the arc clanking the iron. ESU also struggled with holding possession with eight turnovers. MU's Najdawi would score 11 of the 20 points during the run, as the Marauders would shoot 6-of-14.
• Pepin and Millsip would each drain a pair of field goals to make the contest a one point game with 8:09 remaining. The Marauders countered with a quick 7-1 sprint, taking a 10-point lead at 66-56 with just 4:52 left on the clock.
• With Millersville leading 71-60, a Rodriguez triple would spark an 8-0 run, as ESU sliced the deficit to just a single possession at 71-68. Paz added a hoop and harm layup and converted the foul shot to get ESU within three points with just 1:45 remaining.
• McAliley would contest a layup and would foul out of the contest with 1:16 remaining, as Najdawi converted both attempts to lift Millersville to a 72-68 lead. ESU called timeout with 50 seconds remaining and drew a foul. Jones converted both attempts to get the Warriors within three points at 73-70 with 25 seconds left. Sullivan extended the Millersville lead with a layup, as the Marauders would hit a free throw with 12 seconds left to put the game on ice, as ESU could not hold off the Marauders in the second half.  

• ESU heads to PSAC East first-place Shippensburg on Saturday. The Warriors and Raiders are set to tipoff at 3:00 p.m. on the PSAC Sports Digital Network.
• The Warriors return to Koehler Fieldhouse on Wed., Jan. 19 against Lock Haven. The opening tip is set for 7:30 p.m. The contest will be broadcasted on Blue Ridge TV 13, the PSAC Sports Digital Network, Bigfoot Country Poconos 103.1 FM / 840 AM.