MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Matt Dade scored a season-high 21 points as Millersville scored a 68-56 win over Penn State York Tuesday evening in Pucillo Gymnasium. 

Playing without senior guard Mekhi Hendricks, the Marauders struggled to create offense, but Dade scored 13 points in the second half, which kept the Marauders with a comfortable double-digit lead. The Marauders led by just six at the half, but Ryan Davis provided a spark at the defensive end out of the halftime break. Davis scored seven points and generated fast break buckets with a pair of steals as Millersville went on a 17-4 run in the first five minutes of the second. Davis finished with three steals and three blocks. 

"We had to play harder," said Millersville head coach Casey Stitzel. "I don't think we played hard enough in the first half. Inconsistency has been one of our issues. At the beginning of the second half we played harder. One of our strengths is being athletic, so we have to be more aggressive, get in the passing lanes and pressure the ball. Ryan was a spark, and he finished his layups on the other end which gave us good momentum."

Davis connected on 6-of-7 shots for 15 points. 

Millersville produced its largest lead at 49-30 with 14:20 to play. Penn State York's John John Gillespie scored 14 of his 22 points in the final 14 minutes, helping his team close the gap to as few as eight on two occasions in the final two minutes, but both times, Millersville immediately pushed the lead back to 10. 

Millersville made seven of their final eight shots, and Dade scored eight of Millersville's final 16 points,. 

"He's athletic, and a mismatch," said Stitzel. "They put a big guy on him, so he could go by on the dribble. He could post up the smaller players with his strength. He was better defensively tonight as well. He's got a chance to be a really good player. It's just learning what we do and what Millersville basketball is."

Jahme Ested produced his first career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds and also had seven assists. While the Marauders shot 47.5% from the field, they made just 1-of-11 threes, shooting under 32% for the fourth time in five games. Millersville scored 54 of its 68 points in the paint. Penn State York managed just 16 field goals but made 20-of-23 free throws. 

The Marauders improved to 2-3 but has held a lead at halftime or later in all five games. 

"It takes a while for practice to carry over to the games," said Stitzel. "We are starting to figure it out in practice but when the lights come on we lose our principles on both ends. Tonight, we made that run, and (Penn State York) couldn't score against us in the half court. The only way for them to score is for us to make mistakes, and we turned the ball over and put them on the line. We just need to keep chipping away, figuring it out. We need more from our upper classmen and our freshmen to start reaching their potential. You hope as they both come together you have something. We have talent. We just have to keep doing the right things, keep learning and apply it to the next game."

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• Millersville plays three home games after the Thanksgiving break starting on Wednesday, Nov. 30 against Bowie State.