MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Millersville rained in 3-pointer after 3-pointer, forced Virginia Union into tough shot after tough shot on the defensive end and needed fewer than nine minutes to build a 19-point lead. The red-hot start helped the Marauders coast to an 82-66 win in Friday's season opener. 

Day Waters scored 22 points on 9 of 14 shooting with four threes, four assists, and three steals in his return to Pucillo Gymnasium. E.J. Matthews-Spratley, who ignited the Marauders with a banked-in 3-pointer on the game's first possession, drilled 4 of 5 threes for 12 points. Saraj Ali scored 18 on 7 of 9 shooting. 

Waters started every game for the 25-win Millersville team in 2023-24 before transferring to Slippery Rock for one season. He scored 20-plus in four consecutive games to end last season with The Rock, and Friday's performance made it five consecutive 20-point games. It was his first 20-point game inside Pucillo Gymnasium since Dec. 30, 2023. 

"It is great to have Day back," said Millersville head coach Casey Stitzel. "He was awesome tonight. He's a leader, and he's only going to keep getting better."

Virginia Union threw everything at the Marauders--zone defenses, various presses. None of it mattered. Millersville shot 61.7% from the field, led by as many as 25, and after building the early lead, never led by fewer than 11 points. The Marauders made five threes in the first nine minutes and led 23-4, forcing Virginia Union to burn several early timeouts. 

"We guarded, we rebounded, our activity was really good," said Stitzel. "We played three scrimmages and didn't see any zone, but I thought our guys executed. We got the ball in the short corner and in the middle, and we have a lot of guys who can make shots. We also have the post players inside we can go to. It showed some of the things we can do, and now we have to do a better job of sustaining it."

Virginia Union scored on the first two possessions of the second half to pull within 43-32, but Cesar Tchilombo answered with a three-point play. Waters scored eight consecutive points, and Ali capped an 11-4 run to push the Marauders back up by 20 with 15 minutes to play. 

"It's hard for guys to keep the same juice from the first half into the second half when they go up big," said Stitzel. "We have to do a better job making our foul shots and not turning the ball over as much. There were a couple of plays on the defensive end, but credit Virginia Union. They made four or five really tough shots in the last 10 minutes to keep us from pulling away. I'm glad we were able to finish it off without it ever becoming a one or two-possession game."

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Millersville forced 18 turnovers and totaled 14 steals with Waters, Tchilombo and freshman Carnell Henderson all recording three. 
• Henderson provided a nice spark for the Marauders off the bench. In addition to his defense, he scored nine points on 4 of 7 shooting, one of his buckets coming on a steal and breakaway slam. 
• Aamir Hurst led Millersville with six assists and did not commit a turnover. 

UP NEXT

• Millersville closes the Ron Wilson '79 Classic against Charleston on Saturday at 3 p.m. Mansfield and Virginia Union play the early game at 1 p.m.