BOWIE, Md. - Jaden Faulkner became the 40th player in Millersville to score 1,000 career points, but that was the highlight of the night for the Marauders on the offensive end as a long scoring drought in the first half put them in a deficit from which they could not recover. Bowie State held on to top the Marauders, 83-73.

Bowie State (2-1) was fueled by a white-hot shooting stretch in the first half and finished the game hitting 9-of-19 from three and 47.4% from the field. The Bulldogs were also lifted by a trio of stellar offensive showings. Mark Bradshaw hit 5-of-7 from 3-point range for 28 points, Kyree Freeman-Davis finished with 18, and Caleb Johnson nearly recorded a triple-double with 21 points, 11 boards and nine assists. He also made 10-of-10 free throws. 

"It was a little of everything tonight," said Millersville head coach Casey Stitzel. "We were not ready to start the game and did not have the juice we had this weekend. You have to get stops. You have to get rebounds. It was one of those games where every time you think something bad will happen, it happens. You get stops but give up offensive rebounds. You go on a run and then miss five-straight foul shots. Guys who are not great shooters coming in to the game make every shot. I've been coaching for 16 years, and I've seen that game in my nightmares all 16 years."

Millersville, led by 20 points and eight assists from Faulkner, placed five scorers in double-figures but could not find consistency at the offensive end, shooting 44.3% from the field, 31.3% from three and 63.6% from the line. The 11 first-half turnovers were key in Bowie State jumping out to a 14-point halftime lead. But more concerning for Stitzel was the defensive performance. Millersville has surrendered more than 80 points in regulation just nine times since the start of the 2021-22 season and are now 1-8 in those games. 

"We just aren't playing good enough defense right now," said Stitzel. "The team defense isn't where it needs to be. You are going to have nights offensively, particularly on the road, where the shooting isn't there, but we always say, 'defense travels,' and it wasn't there tonight. We have to play harder. Playing defense and playing hard have always been staples of success within this program. We aren't playing hard enough right now."

After taking a 14-10 lead with 11:45 remaining in the first half, the Marauders scored just one field goal and turned the ball over four times at the same time that Bowie State caught fire. The Bulldogs drilled nine consecutive shots in a four-minute span as part of a 20-3 run. 

Millersville did shoot 50% from the field in the second half, but made just 9-of-16 free throws, and Bowie State kept making tough shots, particularly from three, where it made 4-of-9. Matt Dade and Jahme Ested each scored five points as part of a 21-10 Millersville run over the first seven minutes of the second half. Ested's 3-pointer closed the gap to 51-48. But immediately, Mark Bradshaw answered with back-to-back buckets against two Millersville misses, and Freeman-Davis pushed the lead back to 10 with a 3-pointer. Millersville never got closer than five the rest of the way. 

Dade scored 17 to go with seven rebounds. Day Waters tallied 10 points and matched Faulkner with a team-high three steals. Drew Stover, named PSAC East Athlete of the Week on Monday, totaled 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting. 

GAME NOTES

• Faulkner needed just 68 points to score 1,000 career points. He is the fifth Casey Stitzel recruit to reach that milestone. Faulkner's career average of 14.5 points per game ranks 20th among Millersville's 1,000-point scorers. 
• Dade has scored in double-figures in eight of his last nine games dating back to last season. 
• Millersville has now lost four of the last five meetings with Bowie State dating back to 2014. Millersville's last win at Bowie State was in 1989. Millersville still leads the overall series, 17-4. 

UP NEXT

• Millersville returns home to host Chestnut Hill on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. That game begins a five-game home stand through Dec. 12. 

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