KUTZTOWN, Pa. - Caden Najdawi converted a three-point play on the game's first possession, and it was a sign of what was to come for the Millersville Marauders, who led wire-to-wire and routed Kutztown 74-59 in Keystone Hall Monday evening. 

Najdawi, named the PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week earlier in the day, exhibited his offensive skills against the Golden Bears, scoring a game-high 17 points and adding 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. Jaden Faulkner made 6-of-8 shots for 12 points, and Khari Williams scored 12 for an offense that shot 57.1% from the field and made 5-of-10 3-pointers. 

The win improved the Marauders to 17-4 overall and 11-4 in PSAC play. It was the team's fourth consecutive road win and eighth in a row overall--the longest streak by a Millersville team since 2006-07. All eight wins have come against PSAC opponents and a run to match that hasn't happened at Millersville since 2002-03. 

For Millersville, the 15-point margin of victory was its largest in a road game at Kutztown since 1993. 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS
• Millersville scored the game's first seven points--four of which came from Faulkner. The lead extended to double-digits within eight minutes, and Kutztown didn't score its 10th point until there was 10:18 remaining in the first half. The Marauders, who rank second in the PSAC in field goal percentage defense, blanketed Kutztown's shooters and held them to 31.5% shooting in the first half. Millersville, meanwhile, sank 62.5% of its shots in the first 20 minutes. The Marauders led by 22 (43-21) at the break. 
• Millersville's extended its lead to as many as 23 points on James Sullivan's 3-pointer with 18:02 to play, and the lead was still at 20 with fewer than two minutes to play.  

POSTGAME REACTION FROM COACH CASEY STITZEL
• On starting quickly: "We just try to do that on the road. When you get off to a good start in really helps. With us, it starts with defensive rebounding. We did a great job getting stops, played inside out and posted up our guards. The bench was great tonight. Mekhi (Hendricks), D'Marco (Suggs), and Jahme (Ested) played great minutes with guys in foul trouble."
• On getting Faulkner involved early: "He's been really good and finished well against Bloomsburg and started well tonight. He got into foul trouble tonight but his leadership is great and when he plays well we go to another well. If he keeps getting better that makes us more dangerous."
• On looking ahead to Wednesday's game to Shippensburg: "When we played them at home, it was one of our top two or three worst games all year, but they are really good and well coached and have a winning culture. We have to play better than we did in the first meeting. But we will take it easy on the guys tomorrow, make it more of a mental day. We will be ready to go."

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Millersville held a 40-32 advantage on the glass, and scored more than half of its points (40) in the paint. 
• Williams and Sullivan both sank 2-of-3 from three. Ryan Davis made both of his shots from the field and 3-of-4 free throw. Mekhi Hendricks and Sullivan led Millersville with three assists apiece. 

NOTES
• Millersville has now played all eight PSAC East opponents once (and Bloomsburg twice)  and are 8-1 against the division. 
• Najdawi has scored at least 10 points in five-straight games. Faulkner has scored in double figures in six of the last seven games, and Williams has reached that mark in five of the last six.

NEXT
• The top of the PSAC East standings tightened significantly with Millersville's win Monday. The Marauders are now a half-game out of first place, and Kutztown sits one game behind. Millersville travels to Shippensburg Wednesday for a clash with the first-place Raiders. Tip is at 8 p.m.