WEST CHESTER, Pa. - Millersville overcame a 23-point first half scoring performance to slash a 24-point deficit down to three. But that's when the Marauders' drive for a comeback ran out of gas. Led by 26 points from Robbie Heath and 20 from Malik Jackson, West Chester pulled away for an 86-69 PSAC East win Wednesday night in Hollinger Field House. 

Home court is everything when it comes to Millersville and West Chester. The Marauders lost at Hollinger Field House for the 24th time in the last 27 trips, and West Chester improved to 13-3 at home this season. Less than one month ago, Millersville routed West Chester 97-71 at home by winning the rebounding battle and making 12 3-pointers. It was a different story Wednesday as Millersville shot 5-of-25 from three (including 2-of-13 in the first half) and finished minus-11 in rebounding. 

West Chester won its fourth consecutive game (scoring at least 85 in all four) to improve to 19-8 overall and locked up the PSAC East's No. 3 seed with a 13-8 league record. Millersville, now 13-14 overall and 10-11 in the PSAC, lost for the fifth time in the last six games but did receive a great deal of help to stay in fourth place in the PSAC East. The three teams tied one game behind the Marauders all lost. Millersville can clinch the No. 4 seed and a first-round home game with a win Saturday over Lock Haven. 

HOW IT HAPPENED 
• For the fourth time in the last five games, Millersville struggled from the start and found itself down by more than 18 points. The Marauders trailed West Chester by 20 before even 20 minutes of basketball had been played. Millersville shot 9-of-30 from the field in the first half, missing its first six shots and needing more than seven minutes to score seven points. 
• Millersville trailed 52-28 with just over 15 minutes remaining, but a James Sullivan bucket immediately followed by a Khari Williams 3-pointer started the Marauders on a 28-7 run over the next six-plus minutes during which they shot 10-of-17 from the field, 3-of-3 from three and 5-of-5 from the line while West Chester attempted just six shots and committed five turnovers. Justin Nwosu scored half of Millersville's points in that stretch, which pulled Millersville to within three and 59-56 with more than nine minutes to play. 
• But as quickly as the Marauders made it a one possession game, West Chester widened the lead again. Over the next five minutes, Jackson scored eight points and carried West Chester to an 18-4 run that put the Marauders well in the rearview. Millersville shot 1-of-7 during that stretch. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 
• Millersville out-scored West Chester 46-45 in the second half while shooting only 40 percent from the field and 3-of-12 from three. 
• Caden Najdawi was a welcomed addition to the lineup after missing the previous two games. He scored a team-high 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting while playing 39 minutes. Justin Nwosu recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 boards, including five on the offensive glass. James Sullivan totaled 10 points and led the team with five assists. Khari Williams scored 19 points. 

POSTGAME REACTION FROM COACH CASEY STITZEL
• On early offensive struggles at West Chester: "For some reason we have started the same way all four years with a cold start. They do a great job in transition offense so if you miss that puts you in a tough spot. We don't come out with that killer instinct. We try to feel it out. Especially with what we did to them at home, we have to match the energy on the road. They are coming in with passion and fire, and we don't match it. If the team that goes on that run shows up in the first half, we are up seven, eight points. We didn't match the intensity until the second half."
• On what happened after the lead was cut to three: "We let them get free a little on the offensive end and some of our shots just didn't go in. Some of them were good looks--missed a couple of chippies. We got worn down a little bit. Those five guys got us back in the game, and I was going to ride them until we got to the finish line."
• On the playoff implications with Saturday's game: "We just talked about it in the locker room. It's been good Millersville and bad Millersville this year. If we want to get in and play at home on Monday, good Millersville has to show up. We are going to have to play harder, smarter and together. It should be a very good game. Lock Haven is well coached. We have to have a winning mentality. We haven't done that yet in this rebuild, but this is another opportunity to take that next step." 

NOTES
• Najdawi has scored 20 or more points in two of his last three games. Williams has scored 19 or more in three of the last four. 
• Nwosu's double-double was his second of the season and first since his season debut on Nov. 9. 

UP NEXT
• Millersville plays Lock Haven Saturday at Pucillo Gymnasium with tip scheduled for 3 p.m. Lock Haven, Shepherd and Kutztown are all tied in the standings at 9-12. Those three teams, along with Millersville (10-11) are vying for three playoff spots.