MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – The East Stroudsburg University men's basketball team cut a 13-point second-half deficit to one point with seven minutes remaining, but Millersville responded with a decisive 16-4 run to secure a 92-85 victory on Wednesday evening inside Pucillo Gymnasium.
The Warriors (13-5, 7-4 PSAC) and Marauders (11-7, 7-4 PSAC) are now tied for third place in the PSAC East standings.
Lakeem McAliley led the Warriors with 18 points, moving into third place on ESU's all-time scoring list during the first half.
Notables
- McAliley shot 8-of-11 from the field and added six rebounds. The Philadelphia native recorded two blocks and a steal in 17 minutes before fouling out. His lone steal led to a fast-break dunk early in the second half, which allowed him to pass Don Bones (1,775 points from 1976-81) for third all-time in career points among Warriors. McAliley now has 1,791 career points and needs 70 more to surpass Whis Grant (1,860 points from 2011-15) for second place.
- Cam Young tallied 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, along with five rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
- Evan Morton (13 points) and Carson Howard (10 points) reached double figures, while Nasir Griffin (9 points) and Jaden Kelly (8 points) combined for 17 points.
- Millersville's Aiden Gair led all scorers with 23 points.
How It Happened
- Neither team gained significant separation early, but a 9-2 run by Millersville gave the Marauders a 30-22 lead with 6:57 remaining in the first half. Millersville maintained at least a six-point cushion for the remainder of the period, entering halftime with a 45-34 advantage.
- Millersville opened the second half with a basket to extend its lead to 13 points, tying its largest margin of the game. ESU responded with a 15-7 run to even the score at 58-58.
- The Marauders regained control with a 14-5 spurt, taking a 72-63 lead. The Warriors answered with eight consecutive points to trim the deficit to 72-71, but Millersville used a 16-4 run, building a 13-point advantage with less than two minutes remaining. ESU reduced the margin to seven points late but could not complete the comeback.
Up Next
ESU looks to rebound at Koehler Fieldhouse on Saturday at 3 p.m. against the Mansfield Mountaineers.
