Millersville, Pa. - Once the Millersville Marauders got rolling, there was nothing Cheyney could do to stop them. Millersville shook off a sluggish start for a one-sided 86-50 non-conference victory inside Pucillo Gymnasium Saturday.
Four Marauders scored in double figures with freshman
Justin Nwosu's 16 leading the way. Millersville led for 35:48 of the 40 minute game and shot 56.3 percent from the field while holding Cheyney to 31.1 percent shooting. However, it took a while for the Marauders to get warmed up. Eight minutes into the game, the score was tied at 13-13 with Millersville committing eight turnovers in that stretch. But a
James Sullivan jumper started a 29-10 Millersville run to close that half. Millersville shot 13-of-20 over the final 12 minutes of the first while holding Cheyney to 4-of-19 shooting and seven turnovers.
"We just weren't ready to play," said Millersville head coach
Casey Stitzel. "When you come out and play like that it just comes down to not being in the right mindset. But we got out of it. We played better defense, rebounded better and shared the ball better on offense."
Fortunately for the Marauders, Sullivan was hitting early. He made his first three shots, which included two threes and scored all 13 of his points of 5-of-6 shooting in the first half. It was a welcomed sight for the Marauders, who had seen Sullivan go eight consecutive games without scoring in double figures.
"It was huge for us to get [Sullivan] going," said Stitzel. "If teams are giving us outside shots we have to be able to make them. Over our next five games we have to take advantage of those open shots in order to be successful. Getting open shots, moving the ball and making the right passes is really important for us."
Millersville dominated the final 33 minutes, outscoring Cheyney 73-33 in the stretch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Nwosu made 7-of-9 shots from the field and also added three assists and three steals.
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Jaden Faulkner totaled a game-high five steals to go with a game-high seven assists, a team-high seven rebounds and 11 points.
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Jamal Washington scored 10 points and added five rebounds.
• Millersville took advantage of Cheyney's 19 turnovers, scoring 29 points in transition.
NOTES
• Nwosu has scored in double-figures in four of the last five games.
• Millersville recorded a season-high 48 rebounds--the most in a regulation game by a Millersville team since Nov. 18, 2015.
• The 36-point margin of victory was the second-largest of the season for Millersville and the eighth win of at least 20 points.
QUOTABLE
"Anybody who was struggling with their shot coming into today got some open looks and made some nice plays on defense, which gives you confidence. We had a really tough four-game stretch before this game. Anytime you can experience winning in the middle of a stretch like this is a good thing, especially for the morale of a young team. Hopefully this win will make us feel good and get us going to play our best basketball for the last five games." -
Casey Stitzel
UP NEXT
• Millersville travels to Shippensburg on Wednesday, Feb. 13.
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