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BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The Bloomsburg University men's basketball team went above its season average in points on Saturday afternoon but could not stop East Stroudsburg University and the highest-scoring offense in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) as the Huskies dropped a 99-85 decision at the Nelson Field House. The loss was Bloomsburg's second straight as it dropped to 9-8 overall and 5-8 in the PSAC Eastern Division. The Warriors improved to 13-5 overall and 11-2 in league play.
 
Redshirt junior Christian Mortellite (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) posted a game-high 26 points on 9-of-15 from the field and 6-of-11 from three-point range. With his scoring effort, he moved past Craig Phillips (1987-91), Adam Bohman (1999-03), and Jon Bardsley (1978-82) and into 15th place on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,256 career points.
 
Junior Carnell McGirt (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic (Valley Forge Military Academy)) added 19 points while senior Yahmir Greenlee (Philadelphia, Pa./Boys Latin) chipped in 16 for the Huskies, who shot 46.9% from the field (30-of-64) and hit 10-of-20 from long range on Saturday afternoon.
 
The game was back-and-forth for much of the first half as the teams battled through five ties and five lead changes. Mortellite came out firing on all cylinders as he hit back-to-back three pointers near the outset of the game to give the Huskies an 8-3 advantage. The visitors battled back to tie the game at 9-9 with 13:33 left before the points started coming fast and furious. Over the next four minutes, Bloomsburg reclaimed the lead and built it up to as many as seven points, 25-18, after a layup from junior Kyle-Michael Rose (Middletown, Del./Sanford School (Highland CC)).
 
But, the Warriors went on a 15-2 run over the next three minutes to take a 33-27 advantage with 6:26 left in the first half. Bloomsburg tied the game at 33-33 on back-to-back triples from Mortellite and Greenlee with 5:34 remaining. But the turning point of the game occurred just 11 seconds later. Mortellite was assessed his second foul and then was hit with a technical to send him to the bench for the final 5:23 of the half with three fouls.
 
At the time, Mortellite was 5-of-6 from the field and 3-of-4 from long range and had 13 points in 11 minutes.
 
East Stroudsburg took advantage as the Warriors outscored the Huskies, 17-9, the remainder of the half to build a 50-42 lead as both teams headed to their respective locker rooms.
 
Bloomsburg could never recover as the Warriors led the entire second half. East Stroudsburg built the lead to nine points early before the Huskies trimmed it to four, after a Mortellite layup, with 15:58 left. Bloomsburg was still within striking distance, trailing by only six, 68-62, with 12:19 remaining before East Stroudsburg's Nick Giordano caught fire off the bench. Giordano hit three triples in the span of three minutes as East Stroudsburg went on a 16-4 run to build the lead to 84-66 with 7:36 left.
 
The lead ballooned to as many as 20 points before the visitors settled for the 14-point victory.
 
East Stroudsburg shot 52.9% from the field (37-of-70), hit 8-of-18 from three-point range (44.4%), and was 17-of-19 at the foul line (89.5%).
 
Quindell Brice led the Warriors with 19 points on 8-of-8 from the field. Rasheed Moore had 16 points and eight rebounds while Jakwan Jones chipped in with 13 points and eight assists off the bench. Giordano finished with 12 points, shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from three-point range.
 
The Huskies will look to snap their two-game losing skid on Wednesday, January 25, when they travel to Lock Haven University. Start time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.