EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – Behind a game-high 19 points from freshman guard
Evan Morton and five double-figure scorers overall, the East Stroudsburg University men's basketball team toppled Bloomsburg, 79-56, on Saturday afternoon inside Koehler Fieldhouse.
The Warriors (13-4, 7-3 PSAC) remain tied for second place in the PSAC East with Shepherd. The Huskies (3-14, 2-8) sit in ninth in the standings.
Notables
- Morton led all scorers with 19 points, adding five rebounds, three assists and one steal. The Matthews, N.C., native drained two early 3-pointers to set the tone.
- Carson Howard tallied 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting in 17 minutes. He also pulled down five boards.
- Nasir Griffin contributed 13 points (6-of-7 FG) while filling the stat sheet with three rebounds, three assists and four steals.
- Lakeem McAliley registered 11 points (4-of-7 FG, 3-of-3 FT) in just 15 minutes, adding four rebounds, two assists, one block and three steals. He is now just three points away from surpassing Don Bones (1,775 from 1976-81) for third on ESU's all-time scoring list.
- Cam Young rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points, grabbing a team-high six rebounds and adding two assists.
- Defensively, ESU held Bloomsburg to season lows in points (56), field-goal percentage (.400) and assists (7). The Warriors forced 20 Husky turnovers, marking the seventh time in 17 games they have forced 20 or more.
- ESU outscored the Huskies 38-20 in the paint and won the rebounding battle, 37-33, posting 16 second-chance points off 12 offensive boards.
Gallery: (1-18-2025) ESU 79, Bloomsburg 56
How It Happened
- Morton opened the contest with eight of ESU's first 10 points, including back-to-back 3-pointers, as the Warriors built an early 17-5 advantage. ESU shot 7-of-10 during that stretch while limiting Bloomsburg to just two made field goals on seven attempts.
- The Warriors maintained a double-digit lead throughout the first half, extending the margin to as many as 16 points before carrying a 42-30 cushion into the break.
- Bloomsburg surged with an 8-0 run to start the second half, trimming the gap to 42-38. ESU responded with a 21-7 burst to reclaim control at 63-45, forcing eight turnovers (including four steals) over an eight-plus-minute stretch.
- The Warriors' lead never dipped below 16 points the rest of the way, reaching a game-high 23-point margin to seal the 79-56 victory.
Up Next
- ESU heads to Millersville on Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff. The Marauders sit one game behind the Warriors and Shepherd for second place in the PSAC East standings.
