EAST STROUDSBURG – Led by a career performance from sophomore guard
Tyshawn Trail, No. 11/7 East Stroudsburg University men's basketball team extended their winning streak to seven and picked up its 20th win of the season in a 103-74 victory over West Chester on Saturday afternoon inside a raucous Koehler Fieldhouse.
The Warriors (20-2, 14-2 PSAC) record its 15th 20-win season in program history and its 8th over the past 11 seasons in the win. The Golden Rams (14-19, 11-6 PSAC) fall for the third time over the past five games.
Notables
- Trail led the game with 22 points (7-12 FG, 2-6 3PT, 6-9 FT) and paced the Warriors with seven rebounds and five assists, while tallying a steal in 28 minutes.
- Lakeem McAliley registered 16 points (5-9 FG, 6-8 FT), totaling four steals and a block. He saw his six-game 20-plus point streak snapped, but became the first Warrior to register 20-plus points in five and then six games under head coach Jeff Wilson (since 2002-03).
- Shamir Johnson (13 pts.) and Nasir Griffin (12 pts., 4 rebs.) also reached double figures in scoring.
- Justin Paz neared double-digits with nine points and tied for the team lead with five assists and tallied a pair of steals.
- Leading WCU was Joshua Walker, who posted a double-double (19 pts., 11 reb., 2 blk.). Elijah Allen (17 pts., 3 stl.) and Jordan Kellier (11 pts.) also recorded 10-plus points.
- The Warriors have now posted 20-plus wins in 15 seasons in program history, including back-to-back seasons. Since 2009-10, the Warriors have reached the 20-win milestone in nine of the past 14 seasons and four of the past five campaigns.
- ESU held WCU to a season-low 9.5 percent from 3-point land (2-21) and scored the second-most points against Golden Rams (103) this season.
- ESU led in assists (16-9), bench points (37-15), blocks (3-2), fastbreak points (17-9), steals (8-6).
- The Warriors eclipsed the century mark for the sixth time this season.
How It Happened
- West Chester scored the first points and took momentum first, building an early 8-3 lead. ESU sliced the deficit to 8-7, but the Golden Rams maintained a lead, growing its edge to 17-11. With WCU holding a 21-19 lead, the Warriors used a 25-10 sprint to grab a 13-point lead at 44-31. ESU scored five of the final nine points in the first half, taking a 48-36 lead into the locker room.
- The Warriors and Golden Rams traded points to begin the second half, with WCU slicing the deficit to 10 at 48-38 and 55-45, before the Warriors put foot on the gas pedal. A 16-6 ESU run lifted the Warriors to a 20-point lead at 71-51. WCU cut the deficit back to 10 with 10 consecutive points, but ESU would not allow the Golden Rams within single digits, closing the game on a 32-13 run over the final nine minutes for the final score of 103-74.
Up Next
- ESU heads to Lock Haven on Wednesday in hopes of avenging one of its two losses earlier this season. Game time at Thomas Fieldhouse between the Warriors (20-2, 14-2 PSAC) and Bald Eagles (15-6, 13-3 PSAC) is set for 7:30 p.m.
