LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - Millersville took its defensive "A" game to Lock Haven Monday evening and pestered the Bald Eagles shooters for 40 minutes in a 71-49 win that extended Millersville's winning streak to five.

Caden Najdawi battled through a physical game in the post to lead four Marauders in double figures with 14 points. He also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and blocked two shots. James Sullivan tallied 12 points and seven rebounds and also led the team with seven assists and two steals. Jaden Faulkner scored 10 of his 13 in the first half as Millersville defended its way to a 19-point halftime lead. The Marauders held Lock Haven to just 15 first-half points, and the home team missed all 10 3-pointer attempts in the first 20 minutes before finishing 3-of-21 for the game. Millersville, meanwhile, shot 52.9% from the field and did the bulk of scoring at the rim with 40 points in the paint to Lock Haven's 18. 

Millersville, now 14-4 overall and 8-4 in PSAC action, has its best record through 18 games since the 2006-07 PSAC Championship-winning team started 16-2.  

GAME HIGHLIGHTS
• Over a span of 12 minutes in the first half, Millersville held Lock Haven to just two points on 1-of-19 shooting from the field, and that stretch allowed the Marauders to build a 26-8 lead. Khari Williams beat the halftime buzzer by drilling a step-back jumper from the free throw line, boosting Millersville's advantage to 34-15. 
• Millersville's lead reached 23 points with 14:37 to play on a pull-up jumper from Mekhi Hendricks. Lock Haven managed to more than double its offensive output in the second half, but Millersville still held a 37-34 advantage over the final 20 minutes, and Lock Haven never came closer than 15 points to the Marauders. 

POSTGAME REACTION FROM COACH CASEY STITZEL
• On the team's defense: "I thought we were really good. It was one of our best defensive halves of the season. To come out like that after a long bus trip, it shows a lot of maturity. We took the pedal off a little in the second half but never let it get under 15. When we defend like that we are tough to beat." 
• On getting balanced scoring: "I think guys are starting to figure out their role and where to get their shots. We made some tweaks on offense over the break. We are starting to make the right play, and tonight we played a little inside out. Jaden got us started. Mekhi got it going in the second half and gave us some great minutes. We have seven guys who have scored over 20 in their career so it's about sharing the ball and getting the right shots. The first semester it stuck a little, but we've continued to improve."

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Williams matched Najdawi for team-high honors with eight rebounds and added nine points. Justin Nwosu shot an efficient 5-of-7 from the field and 2-of-2 from the line for 12 points. He also grabbed seven rebounds. 
• Millersville dominated the glass with a 46-26 advantage. 

NOTES
• Millersville now has winning streaks of six and five games this season, and the last Marauders team to perform that feat was the 2007-08 club that went 22-10. 
• Millersville improved to 11-0 when out-rebounding its opponent and 9-0 when holding an opponent to fewer than 70 points. 
• The 49 points allowed were the fewest that Millersville has surrendered to a PSAC opponent since holding Gannon to 46 in a win on Jan. 26, 2018. 
• Millersville's win, coupled with Shippensburg's last-second loss at Kutztown, puts Millersville a game out of first place in the PSAC East. 

NEXT
• Millersville plays a key regional game Wednesday at home, hosting Slippery Rock for a PSAC divisional crossover game starting at 7:30 p.m.