Box Score

Millersville, Pa. - Redshirt freshman Jim Kelleher poured in 19 points off the bench but even his dead-eye shooting couldn't push the homestanding Millersville men's basketball team past 20th-ranked East Stroudsburg Wednesday evening. The Warriors, behind 18 points from Andy Heimbach, handed Millersville a 72-63 defeat.

Kelleher's 19 led all scorers and gave him a career high. Five of his six field goals came from behind the 3-point line, and he also played a career-high 33 minutes. Millersville's two leading scorers on the season, Jason Blake and Palmer McDurfee combined for just six points, but Brandon Widener, who had scored 12 points in the last four games combined, helped Kelleher pick up the scoring slack. He tossed in 13 including 12 in the second half. Kelleher and Widener were also the only Marauders to hit 3-pointers.

The loss was Millersville's (7-13, 2-5 PSAC East) third in a row overall and fourth-straight to come by fewer than 10 points. East Stroudsburg solidified its national ranking and continued to hold first place in the PSAC East by improving to 19-1 overall and 6-1 in league play.

The Warriors only loss this season came by three points against then-No. 3-ranked Kutztown. They proved early in Wednesday's game that they were deserving of that lofty ranking. Fourteen minutes into the contest, the Warriors owned a 29-10 lead thanks to a 3-point barrage led by Heimbach's two treys.

Kelleher, however, started to heat up. Using eight Kelleher points, the Marauders closed the final five minutes of the half on an 18-9 run, cutting ESU's lead to 38-28 at the break.

Kelleher stayed hot in the second, hitting a 3-pointer on Millersville's first possession and dropping another three minutes later. A free throw from Rob Wyley brought Millersville to within 47-40 with 15:49 to go, but that would be as close as the Marauders would get.

Millersville shot 13-of-27 from the field and 5-of-12 from three in the second half. East Stroudsburg, however, knocked down 12-of-26 shots and hit 8-of-12 from the free throw line to stay just beyond Millersville's grasp.

In addition to Heimbach's 18, Duane Johnson and Marcus Brown added 10. Millersville received 10 points and five rebounds from senior Alen Ahmetovic. Wyley also totaled nine points on 4-of-5 shooting and pulled down six boards.

The Marauders return to action Saturday at West Chester. Game time is 3 p.m.