Shippensburg University’s men’s basketball team split its two Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) games last weekend against West Chester and Lock Haven universities.
On Wednesday against WCU, the Raiders used a team effort to get past the Rams. All five starters scored in double figures as SU topped West Chester 76-67 at Heiges Field House.
The Golden Rams entered the contest on Wednesday averaging a conference-best 84.7 points per game, but the SU defense held them to just 35% shooting and 25% from the three-point line.
Shippensburg led wire-to-wire and led the game by as many as 22 points in the second half. Redshirt-junior Rashon Johnson led the way with a game-high 17 points and nine rebounds.
Graduate Jake Biss was right behind Johnson with 16 points, three rebounds and two assists. His backcourt mate Kiyon Hardy scored 13 points and pulled down seven rebounds.
Junior Carlos Carter tallied 14 points, four rebounds and three assists while redshirt-junior Dom Sleva notched 13 points, seven rebounds and two assists.
Senior Youssef Diabate grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds off the bench, smashing his previous career-high of six set earlier this season.
West Chester was led by Jamil Manigo who put up 15 points, five rebounds and a steal in the loss.
The win marked the 150th victory for SU head coach Chris Fite who is in his ninth season.
The Raiders looked to keep their momentum going on Saturday against Lock Haven but came up short in overtime, falling to the Bald Eagles 79-67.
SU’s scoring could not carry over on the road as they were held to just 31-percent shooting and shot a pitiful 4-33 from behind the three-point line. They made only 63-percent of their free throws.
Despite the poor shooting, the Raiders stayed close to Lock Haven throughout the game. The back-and-forth battle featured 10 ties and 14 lead changes.
With 42 seconds remaining in regulation SU took the lead. The Bald Eagles tied it again and almost ended the game in regulation, but the would-be buzzer-beater rimmed out.
Lock Haven opened the overtime period on an 8-0 run, taking control of the game on the way to a victory.
Sleva led the Raiders with 20 points and a career-high 19 rebounds, achieving his fifth double-double of the season.
Johnson also notched a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, his seventh of the season.
Biss tallied 12 points, four assists and three rebounds while Hardy scored nine points.
Carter scored eight points and grabbed five boards. He and Johnson played all 45 minutes in the contest.
LHU was led by Dymir Montague’s 21-point, 11-rebound double-double performance.
Shippensburg will travel to Bloomsburg to take on the Huskies Saturday at 3 p.m.
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