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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Fans packed Keystone Arena on Sunday afternoon to see the top two teams in the Eastern Division battle for the first time this season. As expected, the game came down to the final seconds, but it was just not the day for Kutztown University to topple the two-time defending divisional champs as East Stroudsburg University won 75-72.
 
The Golden Bears (12-8, 9-5 PSAC East) had four chances to tie the game or take the lead in the final minute against the Warriors (13-5, 11-3), but they managed just two points in their final four possessions with three turnovers.  
 
Free throws brought KU within one with 17 seconds to go, and an East Stroudsburg turnover when a player stepped on the baseline gave KU the ball with a chance to take the lead. ESU stripped the ball away during a KU layup attempt, and made two free throws on the other end to stretch its lead to three with eight seconds to go. Coming out of a timeout, KU ran its play to get itself an open three-point look, but ESU intercepted a pass that would have set up the potential game-tying shot to end the game.
 
Kutztown played the game at a pace that favored it. East Stroudsburg is one of the best fast-break and full-court pressing teams in the conference, and Kutztown kept action to a half-court game for nearly the entire game.
 
A major difference in Sunday's contest was on the glass. East Stroudsburg out-rebounded Kutztown 45-25, and grabbed 19 offensive rebounds to Kutztown's five. ESU used its 19 offensive rebounds to dominate second chance points, 25-2.
 
Kutztown's defense kept itself in contention throughout. KU held ESU to 37.5 percent from the field as KU shot an even 50 percent, its second straight game over the halfway mark.
 
Tyler Brooks led Kutztown with 19 points on an effective 9-for-11 shooting. He grabbed four rebounds with two blocks in 38 minutes. Martin Dietrich played a significant role off the bench for KU. He scored 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting in 19 minutes.
 
Tynell Fortune finished with 14 points with two three-pointers, and despite entering the game as one of the conference's top free throw shooters, had just two attempts on Sunday.
 
Point guards Austion Beidelman and Ethan Ridgeway each dished out more than five assists, as Beidelman had six and Ridgeway following with five. Howard Sellars had four assists as KU finished with 18.
 
East Stroudsburg's Rasheed Moore posted a double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds. The sophomore was 7-of-13 from the field and made all 11 of his free throws. Will Brown scored 13 points off the bench and Whis Grant finished with 12.
 
The Golden Bears return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 28 when they travel to Mansfield University for a 7:30 p.m. tip. KU won the first matchup of the season at Keystone Arena, 71-62.