Shippensburg University’s men’s basketball was derailed Wednesday against East Stroudsburg University after a hot start to the season.

The East Stroudsburg Warriors topped the Raiders, 85-61. SU’s rough start proved to be their downfall, as East Stroudsburg reeled off 21 straight points just 90 seconds into the game. The Raiders’ shooting did not hit its stride until well into the first half, only making one out of their first 11 attempts.

The Warriors, who are the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference favorites, put plenty of pressure on SU’s offense, forcing them to shoot a season-low .389 percent from the field. SU sophomore Dustin Sleva led the team with 17 points and also had a team-high seven rebounds. Junior Abe Massaley and freshman Antonio Kellem both scored in double figures, with Massaley adding five assists.

The Raiders had a tough time competing for rebounds against the Warriors, surrendering a 49-27 edge. Offensive rebounds were especially difficult, with the Raiders only regaining possession in the offensive zone six times. Shippensburg was averaging 16.5 offensive-zone rebounds per game prior to Wednesday’s contest.

SU made a push to take the lead at the start of the second half with a Sleva jumper, but a nine-point deficit was as close as they got. East Stroudsburg went on to score 18 of the next 22 points to support their lead.

The Raiders have dominated at home this season, beating their competition by an average of 30 points. SU’s shooting percentage from the field was .4785 percent before Wednesday’s matchup.

Consistency from the 3-point line is something SU can improve on. They have yet to find a solid groove and they only made 20 percent of their attempts from the 3-point line Wednesday night, which was significantly lower than the .368 percent they shot against Nyack. However, it is an improvement on their average from the season opener, which was 3-19 from the 3-point line in a win over Penn State Lehigh Valley.

SU will take their 2-1 record north to Erie for the weekend for another two PSAC contests, where they will face the Mercyhurst Lakers on Saturday and the Gannon University Golden Knights on Sunday. The men will end their road trip at the start of Dec., where they will square off against the West Chester Golden Rams at home. Shippensburg will have a chance at redemption on Jan. 23, where they will face the Warriors at Heiges Field House.  

Share