ABOUT THE GAME

• Millersville is coming off a game in which it scored 88 points and made nine threes with four players in double-figures, and the Marauders will need all of that offense to keep pace with No. 19 East Stroudsburg Saturday. While the Marauders have lost four of five, East Stroudsburg is 13-1 and riding a five-game winning streak. Aside from a one-point loss at Seton Hill just before Christmas, the Warriors have been a well-oiled machine as all 13 wins have come by at least 10 points. The two teams could not be more different. ESU is the top-scoring offense in the PSAC averaging 96.8 points per game, outscoring teams by 24.2 points per game. But the Warriors rank ninth in the PSAC in defense. Millersville is third in defense, holding teams to 65.4 points per game but is 14th is scoring offense at 68.8 points per game. While the Marauders’ defense has been solid most of the season, holding opponents to fewer than 70 points nine times, it ranks last in the league in 3-point field goal defense (37.8). East Stroudsburg makes 9.1 threes per game and ranks third in threes made. Millersville will need a stellar defensive performance Saturday as it is 1-7 when shooting a lower percentage than its opponent, 0-5 when opponents shoot 50% or higher and 1-4 when teams score more than 70 points. East Stroudsburg has scored at least 85 points in 13 of 14 games and topped 100 six times. It’s lowest output of the season was 76. ESU has also shot over 50% from the field nine times including four games in a row. 
   

SCOUTING THE MARAUDERS

• Millersville’s post players have provided the bulk of the scoring this season with Matt Dade and Drew Stover the only Marauders averaging better than 10 points per game. Stover leads the team with eight double-digit scoring efforts and two 20-point games. Dade has also topped 20 points twice. He had 16 his last time out but has not put together back-to-back double-digit scoring performances this season.
• Jahme Ested scored a career-high 15 points and made a career-high three 3-pointers Wednesday vs. Kutztown. He also came within one of his career-high in assists with six while committing one turnover. Ested has produced at least two assists in 10 of the last 11 games.
• Millersville has been good at taking care of the ball, ranking fifth in the PSAC in fewest turnovers and fifth in turnover margin. 
   

SCOUTING EAST STROUDSBURG

• East Stroudsburg creates 18.7 turnovers per game with a league-high 10.6 steals per game. They rank sixth nationally in steals and eighth in turnover margin. The Warriors also move the ball well on offense, ranking first in the PSAC and sixth in DII in assists with 19.9 per game. That’s how the Warriors rank 14th in DII in field goal percentage and third in scoring offense.
• Reigning PSAC East Athlete of the Year Carlos Pepin is making a strong case for winning the award again. He’s second in the PSAC at 19.3 points per game and averages 10.4 boards per game. He was recently named the D2CIDA National Player of the Week.

SERIES HISTORY

• Millersville and East Stroudsburg meet for the 167th time Saturday with Millersville holding a 102-64 edge all-time. East Stroudsburg has won 21 of the last 27 games going back to 2009 but Millersville has won three of the last four including two in a row in Pucillo Gymnasium. Each of the last five games have been decided by single digits. Millersville has also managed to slow the up-tempo ESU offense recently, hold them to fewer than 70 points in six of the last seven games. 
• The Last Meeting Millersville 82, East Stroudsburg 73 (Feb. 5, 2022):  Behind 20 points from Khari Williams and a staunch defensive effort led by Caden Najdawi's career-high five blocks, Millersville topped East Stroudsburg 82-73 to stay in first place in the PSAC East with its 10th win in a row. Millersville handled East Stroudsburg's frantic full-court court press with aplomb, but it was their defensive effort in the half-court that made all the difference. Millersville got stops, preventing the Warriors from setting up its press. Millersville blocked seven shots, held a 38-32 advantage on the glass, and held the Warriors to 11-of-34 shooting (.324) in the second half. It was much like the Marauders' win over East Stroudsburg on Jan. 12 when they held the Warriors to 28 points on 25% shooting.