MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - A 33-2 run that stretched across two halves lifted Millersville to an 88-57 win over visiting Bloomsburg Saturday afternoon. The win was Millersville's fourth in a row and ninth consecutive win over the Huskies. 

Millersville (11-3, 6-2 PSAC) held a slight 29-28 lead with just under seven minutes remaining in the first half, but Bloomsburg (3-12, 1-7 PSAC) managed just one bucket before the halftime break, and Millersville held the Huskies without a point for the first 5:04 of the second. Millersville closed the first half on a 17-2 run and started the second on a 14-0 run. By the time Bloomsburg made its first field goal of the second half, Millersville had built a 62-31 lead. 

"It was all in the mentality," said Millersville men's basketball coach Casey Stitzel. "It starts with the defense. As you go through that stretch defensively, the ball starts going in more, you get lay-ups in transition, we get the ball inside more. It flows. Our team is always going to dictate our offense off of our defense. When we have energy on the defensive end and rebound the ball, we can beat anyone. But even at 11-3, we have to continue to work on bringing that level of intensity for 40 minutes."

Jaden Faulkner scored 19 points and handed out six assists, and Drew Stover scored 19 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field and 11-of-11 shooting from the free throw line. Stover also dominated on the defensive end with three blocks, three steals and six defensive rebounds. Stover's primary assignment was checking Bloomsburg forward Jake Nelson, who entered the game averaging better than 16 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game. Stover held Nelson to three points on 1-of-7 shooting, two rebounds and quickly put him into foul trouble. Nelson picked up four fouls and totaled just 13:50 of playing time. 

"Drew was unbelievable," said Stitzel. "Drew blocked Nelson's shot multiple times and if he didn't block it, he bothered it. When Drew plays like that, we go to another level. He's tied for first in the PSAC in blocks, and as Drew continues to add that rim protection, it allows our quick guards to hawk the ball a little more knowing they have someone backing them up."

Millersville improved its home record to 8-1 with the victory, and it has averaged 89.5 points per game, out-scoring opponents by an average of 16.8 points during its recent four-game winning streak. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Millersville shot 30-of-61 (.492) for the game and all 13 players that played attempted at least one shot. 
• Matt Dade extended his streak of consecutive games in double-figures to 18 with 13 points. Day Waters scored 12 points and added a game-high eight rebounds. 
• Stover's 11 made free throws were five more than his previous career high. 
• Millersville recorded 14 steals and scored 25 points off of 24 Bloomsburg turnovers. The Marauders out-scored the Huskies 44-20 in the paint. 

GAME NOTES

• Millersville is now 10-0 with shooting a higher percentage than its opponent, 11-1 when scoring more points in the paint and 8-0 when holding a halftime lead. 

UP NEXT

• Millersville is at home against Shepherd on Wednesday, Jan. 17.