EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – The Kutztown University men's basketball team got a game-high 20 points from redshirt-junior Anthony Lee (Willow Grove, Pa./Abington), but it was not enough, as fourth-seeded KU fell on the road 85-71 against the top seed East Stroudsburg University Wednesday night in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) quarterfinal round game at Koehler Fieldhouse.
 
The Golden Bears (21-7 overall) came out of the gates strong, scoring eight of the first 10 points. In a back-and-forth first half that saw KU trailing 42-39, it was the type of game the Maroon and Gold expected; fast-paced, up-and-down the court, points a plenty.
 
But with the score 54-52 in favor of the Warriors (22-5) and 15:08 left to go on the clock, a scoring drought doomed the Maroon and Gold. ESU went on a 15-0 run in a span of 7:13 to take a 69-52 double-digit advantage, one which it would not relinquish over the final 7:55 of the game. KU was held scoreless for 7:20, and put itself in a hole it could not dig itself out of. Kutztown was unable to get any closer than 11 points, 79-68, with 2:28 left. But at that point, East Stroudsburg would score the next six points, including going 4-for-4 at the free-throw line, an area where the Warriors went 16-of-20 (80 percent) at in the second half altogether.
 
In the first half, Kutztown shot 50 percent from the field (15-of-30) and 62.5 percent (5-of-8) from three-point land, compared to ESU, which shot 48 percent (15-of-31) from the field, but just 30.8 percent (4-of-13) from three. The Warriors still had five more attempts from distance than KU, one of which found its way through the basket with just 0:05 left until halftime, and seemed to have given ESU some momentum heading into the locker rooms.
 
The second half was a struggle from the floor for Kutztown, as it went 11-for-31 (35.5 percent) and just 2-of-12 (16.7 percent) from three. ESU did not fare much better, going 12-of-27 (44.4 percent) and 3-of-11 (27.3) from three, but it made its headway at the charity stripe.
 
Lee has now scored in double-figures in 74 of his 82 career starts, including all 28 this season. He made 4-of-5 three-pointers, and also grabbed six rebounds, dished out four assists, and added two steals.
 
Redshirt-freshman Moe Williams (Townsend, Del./Life Center Academy) had his seventh consecutive double-double (16 points and 10 rebounds), and ninth this season. He finished 6-for-10 from the floor and 4-of-4 at the free-throw line.
 
Senior Ethan Ridgeway (West Chester, Pa./Bayard Rustin) was the third Golden Bears player in double-figures in scoring, finishing with 13 points and adding five assists in 40 minutes of action. The five assists gives him 687 in his career, moving him into third place on the all-time PSAC record book for career assists.
 
Rafiq Marshall (Philadelphia, Pa./Simon Gratz (Cheyney)) tallied seven points, Max Wagner (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) had five points and three rebounds, Facundo Arens (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Bahia Blanca) contributed five points and three assists, Kiyon Hardy (Philadelphia, Pa./The Shipley School) recorded three points and two assists, and Josh Townsend (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) added two points.
 
East Stroudsburg now hosts fourth-seed Edinboro out of the West Division in one PSAC semifinal on Saturday, March 3. In the other semifinal, third-seeded Shippensburg takes on the West Division's second seed, Gannon to open the double header.
 
Kutztown will now wait to see if it will play in the NCAA Atlantic Regional, which begins next Saturday, March 10. Earlier today, the Golden Bears were ranked eighth in the final Regional poll, and eight teams make the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Selection Show is slated for Sunday, March 4 at 10:30 p.m.