EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. - Seniors James Sullivan and Caden Najdawi both scored 22 points as the Millersville Marauders stormed back from a 15-point deficit to beat East Stroudsburg 76-70 and score their first win in Koehler Fieldhouse since 2009. 

East Stroudsburg had won 14 in a row at home against Millersville and had been 3-0 at home this season. The Warriors jumped out to a 30-15 lead Wednesday night utilizing the familiar formula of a full-court press and scoring off turnovers. But Millersville turned the tide with stifling half-court defense, holding East Stroudsburg--the second-ranked scoring offense in the PSAC--to just 25% shooting in the final 20 minutes. Millersville out-scored a team that came into the game averaging 88 points per game by a 42-28 margin after the break. 

Millersville held East Stroudsburg to its lowest shooting percentage since the season opener Sullivan carried the Marauders' offense early, making his first six shots from the field and scoring 16 of his season-high 22 in the first half. His breakaway lay-up against ESU's press in the closing minute also sealed the win. It was Najdawi's turn in the second half as he scored 17 points in the period, sinking a career-high 10 free throws on 12 attempts. 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS
• ESU's pressure affected Millersville early as it committed eight turnovers in the game's first 10 minutes. The Warriors used that to build a 30-15 advantage. Millersville trailed by double-digits until the final minute of the first half when Khari Williams made two foul shots, and Sullivan beat the buzzer with a score at the hoop, cutting ESU's lead to 42-34. 
• With just over 15 minutes to play, Millersville still trailed by eight, but Najdawi was about to take over. His slam started a 13-0 Millersville run in which the senior center scored nine points, including six in a row in one stretch. Justin Nwosu's jumper with 11:25 to go tied the game at 49-49, and a minute later, Najdawi gave the Marauders the lead at the free throw line, and Millersville never trailed again. 
• Millersville pushed its lead to as many as 11 after two Najdawi free throws with 3:27 to play, but ESU got a 3-pointer from Mark Rodriguez, and later, a Justin Paz three-point play cut Millersville's lead down to 71-68. The teams traded free throws, and with Millersville in front 73-70 with 31 seconds to go, Sullivan caught a pass at mid-court and weaved through the ESU press for a lay-up and five-point lead. That lead proved too much for the Warriors. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• The season-high scoring efforts from Sullivan and Najdawi were helped by 10 points and six rebounds from Justin Nwosu and nine points from Jahme Ested. Ested made 2-of-3 3-pointers and 3-of-4 shots from the floor. Mekhi Hendricks logged a season-high 30 minutes and grabbed a season-high seven rebounds and handed out a season-high four assists. 
• Millersville controlled the interior, out-scoring East Stroudsburg 40-26 in the paint. 
• East Stroudsburg's 70 points were its fewest scored this season and the fewest scored at home since Jan. 11, 2020. 

POSTGAME REACTION FROM COACH CASEY STITZEL
• On the second-half performance: "We did a good job. When we attacked the press for lay-ups and when we ran an offense, we worked it into Caden or drove for lay-ups or kicked out for open threes."
• On seniors stepping up: "James carried us in the first half, and we challenged some guys at halftime to step up in the second. Caden stepped up. Jahme hit some big shots, and Mekhi did a great job running the team. Justin did a great job on D. Super proud of the guys."
• On halftime adjustments: "The difference was we were in the funk, and over the last three or four weeks had lost our swagger. ESU had swagger and we didn't. There was no X and O adjustment. It was just getting the guys to play better than they were playing. So much of this game is mental more than physical, and in the second half we showed mental toughness. We just played the game."

NOTES
• Millersville held a 37-30 edge on the glass and improved to 8-0 when winning the rebounding battle. 
• East Stroudsburg had won nine consecutive meetings prior to 2019-20 season, but Millersville has won two of the last three games. Before Wednesday, Millersville's last win at East Stroudsburg had come on Feb. 4, 2009 by an 81-79 score in double overtime. 

UP NEXT
• Millersville returns home on Saturday, Jan. 15 to host Bloomsburg for a 3 p.m. tip.