EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – The East Stroudsburg University men's basketball team responded to a midweek setback with a record-breaking performance, rolling to a 118-46 victory over Mansfield on Saturday afternoon inside a packed Koehler Fieldhouse.
The Warriors (14-5, 8-4 PSAC) moved into sole possession of third place in the PSAC East standings with the win and Millersville's loss to Lock Haven. The Mountaineers (6-13, 3-10 PSAC) suffered their second straight defeat.
Records Shattered
- Three-Point Record: ESU drained 18 3-pointers, breaking the Jeff Wilson-era record (since 2002-03). The Warriors matched their previous record of 17 against Dominican (N.Y.) earlier this season and first set the mark in 2017 against Cheyney.
- Largest Halftime Lead: ESU held a 46-point halftime advantage (66-20), its largest against a PSAC opponent under Wilson. The previous high was 36 points, achieved against Pitt-Johnstown in 2005 and Lock Haven in 2012.
- Largest Margin of Victory: The 72-point win set a program record, surpassing the 71-point victory over Penn State-Wilkes (118-51) in 2009. It also broke the Wilson-era PSAC margin record of 67 points (126-60 against Cheyney in 2017).
- Rebounding Margin: ESU outrebounded Mansfield by 34 (58-24), the largest rebounding margin in Wilson's tenure. The previous record was +33 against Mercy in 2010.
Notables
- Balanced Scoring: Seven Warriors scored in double figures, marking the fifth time ESU has accomplished this under Wilson and the first since the 2017-18 season.
- Terrell Pitts: The redshirt freshman tallied a career-high 21 points, shooting 8-of-13, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. He added four rebounds, three assists, and three steals in 25 minutes.
- Lual Manyang: The 7-footer from South Sudan recorded 15 points (7-of-11 FG), five rebounds, and two blocks in just 13 minutes off the bench.
- Evan Morton, Shemar Wilbanks-Acqui, and Lakeem McAliley: Each scored 12 points. McAliley also posted eight rebounds, three blocks, and two steals, while Morton dished out a game-high five assists.
- Nasir Griffin: Griffin contributed 11 points, including three early 3-pointers, while adding eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
- Jalen Pichardo: Pichardo rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points and nine rebounds, narrowly missing a double-double.
- Team Contributions: All 12 Warriors who saw action scored, with seven making at least one 3-pointer and six hitting multiple from deep.
- Defense: The Warriors also held Mansfield to 46 points, the lowest by an opponent since allowing 44 against Clarion on Dec. 2, 2022.
Gallery: (1-25-2025) ESU 118, Mansfield 46
How It Happened
- The Warriors started hot, connecting on 9-of-14 shots and 6-of-8 from 3-point range to build a 24-4 lead before the first media timeout. Griffin's three early triples sparked the fast start. By halftime, ESU led 66-20, matching its season-high for points in a half. The Warriors shot 46% from the floor (23-50) and committed just one turnover in the opening 20 minutes while holding Mansfield to 30% shooting (9-30) and forcing 13 turnovers.
- The second half was no different as ESU reached 86 points before Mansfield hit 30. The Warriors cruised to the 72-point victory, setting numerous records along the way.
Up Next
- ESU closes out January with a short trip to Kutztown on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
