EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — After starting a stretch of four games in eight days with back-to-back wins on home court, the ESU men’s basketball team hits the road for the final two games of the stretch, starting with a matchup in Mansfield tomorrow at 7:30 p.m.

SCOUTING EAST STROUDSBURG

• The Warriors are riding a four-game win streak that’s featured some victories over top divisional rivals like Millersville and Shepherd. Things are starting to click for ESU at the right time, as the Warriors currently own an 11-4 record and are tied for first in the PSAC East with a 5-3 conference record.
• ESU’s defense has improved drastically during this winning streak, as they average just 72.0 PPG allowed compared to 83.3 PPG against in the previous 11 games. It’s largely been a well-rounded team effort on the defensive end, but a couple of Warriors have stood out to lead this change. Terrell Pitts, this week’s PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week, has been primarily assigned to the opposing team’s top backcourt scorer, with Christian Pierre-Louis tagging in when Pitts is on the bench. 
• Jalen Pichardo recorded the first double-double of his career and of the season for ESU in the win over Bloomsburg. Pichardo had recorded double-digit rebounds in four games and scored 10 or more points three times before that game, as he currently leads the PSAC and ranks 18th in Division II in offensive rebounds per game. 
• Ethan Maynard has stepped up his game as conference play has progressed, averaging 13.1 PPG on 51.4% shooting from the field and 50.0% shooting from three-point range. Maynard led the team in scoring for the first time this season with an 18-point outing against Bloomsburg, where he went 7-10 from the field while also recording five steals. 
• Adrian Brito has been ESU’s leading scorer on the season, averaging a team-high 12.7 PPG. Doing most of his damage down low, Brito has shot well inside the paint with a 64.9% field goal percentage. During the Warriors’ last two games, Brito has only missed two shots from the field, posting an 85.7% field goal percentage.
• Ethan Millirons had one of his best nights shooting the ball from three-point range of the season, going 4-5. He improved his three-point shooting percentage to 50.6, reclaiming first place in the conference and moving to third in Division II.
• The Warriors are not just the best team in the conference in bench scoring and assists, but also rank inside the top 10 in Division II in both categories. ESU averages 44.9 PPG from its second unit, second-best nationally, and 18.3 APG, the ninth-best mark in Division II.
• ESU averages 88.8 PPG, the third-best scoring offense in the PSAC. What helps fuel ESU’s offense is its ability to quickly transition from defense to offense, securing rebounds and generating turnovers at a high rate. The Warriors have the fourth-best rebound margin in the conference, outrebounding their opponents by an average of 5.7 RPG. ESU causes 18.2 turnovers per game, third in the PSAC and 12th in Division II.

SCOUTING MANSFIELD

• Mansfield comes into this matchup after a hard-fought battle against Lock Haven, losing on the road by two points. A little over halfway through the season, the Mountaineers are 1-13 on the season, 0-8 in conference.
• Sterling Scott has continued his stellar career for the Mountaineers in his second-straight season of leading the team in scoring. He is averaging 12.7 PPG while shooting 41.0% from the floor. He has been doing everything for the team, leading with 4.8 RPG and 1.9 APG as well. Scott tallied 25 points twice this season, both coming against PSAC opponents, Millersville and Slippery Rock.
• Kutztown transfer Juju Pagan has been a vital piece for Mansfield, providing 11.0 PPG and 1.9 APG while running the offense. He put up a season-high 24 points against the PSAC West front-runner California (Pa). Josh Franklin has also helped handle the ball for Mansfield and is averaging 1.6 APG.
• In their last game against Lock Haven, three players off the bench combined for 32 points. Ty Barrett was hot from three-point range, hitting three threes and finishing with 13 points. Diarmid Stewart was a perfect 4-4 from the floor and tallied 11 points. Frostburg State transfer Henry Jackson helped in multiple ways, recording eight points and five assists.
• Nasir Brown has been a scoring threat for the Mountaineers as well, averaging 8.3 PPG. He has scored 11 in their last two matchups. Julian Wilson made his first appearance of the season eight games ago and has started a majority of them since. He has been a force inside, averaging 4.9 PPG and 3.9 RPG.
• The Mountaineers play at a very fast pace, averaging around 78 possessions per game. Mansfield is averaging 72.4 PPG and is shooting 41.6% from the field, pulling in 31.1 RPG, and recording 11.4 APG.
• The Mountaineers have shown promise this year, having multiple games come down to the wire, such as a seven-point loss against Slippery Rock, which is currently 6-2 in PSAC games.
• There has been some change to the roster for Mansfield from last season, as starters Ty Crespo, Scott Woodring, and Owen Chambers all graduated. Returners Sterling Scott, Julian Wilson, Nasir Brown, and Diarmid Stewart have stepped up into bigger roles. They’ve received lots of help from the transfer portal, bringing in key players Juju Pagan, Henry Jackson, Darrien Berrios Rivera, and Ty Barrett.

SERIES HISTORY

• ESU owns the all-time head-to-head advantage against the Mountaineers, going 82-73 since the first meeting in 1927.
• ESU has won the last 15 matchups against Mansfield, winning by an average margin of 26.1 PPG.
• The Warriors set the series record for the largest margin of victory last season, winning 118-46 at Koehler Fieldhouse. A month later, when the teams met again in Mansfield, ESU won 86-73.
• Head coach Jeff Wilson has gone 33-13 against the Mountaineers during his 23-season career, while Mansfield head coach John Szentesy is winless in 13 games.