Looking to improve to 2-0, the Shippensburg University women’s basketball team hosted Davis and Elkins University on Friday night at Heiges Field House.

Starting the game, SU carried its momentum from its previous 35-point win over Washington Adventist. The Raiders pressured on offense and locked down the defense with heavy full court pressure. SU scored 10 unanswered points to start the game.

SU’s defense forced DEU to stay on the outside, not allowing the DEU offense inside the paint to score easy points. On the other end of the court, SU utilized crisp ball movement and was able to get the ball inside the paint and put DEU in foul trouble early in the first half.

In the first half, SU went to the free throw line 19 times, and made 17 of the 19 attempts. DEU only went to the lien twice. Senior guard Shawna Wert made went four for four from the line during the half. One of the four was her in to the 1,000-point club.

At the end of the first half, SU led 37-27. Forward Caitlin Bamberger finished the half leading the team with eight points. SU shot 39 percent from the field, but made 89 percent of its free throws to give SU the 10-point lead.

The second half was a different story.

The second half started in a similar way to the first, with SU keeping the DEU offense on the outside, forcing DEU to take the outside shots and 3-pointers. But, in the second half, DEU started to dial in on the long-range jumpers and threes. Senior DEU guard Page Turner found her long distance game making three 3-pointers in the second half, propelling DEU to take the lead with just under 10 minutes left in the second half.

SU fought for the next several minutes to keep the score within striking distance. With four minutes left in the game, SU regained the lead, but could not be able to hold it. Turner’s 3-pointer gave DEU the lead that SU could not match.

Jorden Lykes, a DEU junior forward led the game totals with 22 points. For SU, Shawna Wert led the team with 12 points.

For DEU, this was its season opener, while SU evened its record at 1-1 for the season.

After dropping what seemed to be a win in the bag Friday night, the Shippensburg University women’s basketball team had a bit of redemption Saturday evening.

The Raiders defeated West Liberty University 76–68 in the Wolf’s Bus Lines Classic in Heiges Field House.

Despite the eight point win, the majority of the game was tied or at least within two. WLU tried to keep the game moving and just run the floor. With the Hilltoppers starting a four guard set, it makes sense that they would want to run.

The Raiders struggled to get many rebounds, the same problem they faced the night before. SU totaled 36 boards compared to WLU’s 46.

However, the Raiders made up for missing second chance opportunities by getting the two points from the free throw line.

During the first half, SU shot perfectly from the line going 15–15. The second half it shot 73.1 percent making 19 of 26. The Hilltoppers also had a perfect free throw percentage in the first half, and went 5–7 in the second half.

After senior forward Caitlin Bamberger left the game due to injury late in the first half, freshman Stephanie Knauer stepped up and got a double-double. Knauer led the game in both points and rebounds with 22 and 10, respectively.

Junior guard Hillary Southworth led the Hilltoppers in points with 19 and senior forward Jordan Stacey led them in rebounds with nine.

Fouls and turnovers cost WLU the game. The fast-paced game it was trying to play kept the Raiders running, but the game got out of control and WLU made simple mistakes leading to 24 turnovers compared to SU’s eight.

Both teams are now .500 at 2–2. SU’s next game is in Hawaii at the Oahu Classic on Thanksgiving Day. WLU plays on Nov. 20 against West Virginia Wesleyan at home.

For more photos from the game click here

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