The Shippensburg University men’s basketball team clinched the No. 1 seed in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division with its 87-66 win Wednesday against Millersville University.
No. 24 SU played a great first half, taking a 25-point lead into halftime. They finished the game shooting 46% and won the rebounding battle for the 14th time in 15 games.
Junior Jake Biss led the way with 21 points, marking his 50th career game scoring in double figures. Senior John Castello posted his ninth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Sophomore Carlos Carter tallied 17 points while redshirt sophomore Dom Sleva added 18 points off the bench.
The Marauders never held a lead in the contest, marking the fifth time in the last seven games that SU has picked up a wire-to-wire victory.
The Raiders clinched the first seed in the PSAC Eastern Division for the first time in 14 years and also achieved their fifth straight 20-win season under coach Chris Fite.
After the landmark win over Millersville, Saturday saw Shippensburg fall in a double-overtime heartbreaker by one point to Lock Haven University, 104-103.
SU had its fair share of chances to win the game at the end of regulation and both overtime periods but could not get its key shots to fall.
The Raiders had not given up more than 84 points in a game this season before Saturday’s loss. The Bald Eagles shot 56% from the field in the contest and all five of their starters scored in double figures.
Fite commended Lock Haven and its coaching staff after the game.
“They did a really nice job of making shots and scoring the ball. I give them all the credit,” Fite said. “[Lock Haven coach] Mike Nestor always has his team prepared and they did a good job.”
Castello posted another double-double and led all players with 23 points. He also pulled down 15 rebounds. Sleva posted a career-high 22 points and 11 rebounds.
Biss scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half and overtime periods. His layup in the first half made him the 34th player in SU history to score 1,000 career points.
Senior Daylon Carter cracked the starting lineup and scored 10 points to go along with five rebounds and five assists. Carlos Carter scored just six points due to foul trouble, but junior Kiyon Hardy stepped up off the bench and scored 14 points while dishing out three assists.
The win is Lock Haven’s first win at Heiges Field House since November 2013.
The Raiders are off for a full week as they will not return to action until Saturday at 1 p.m. at Bloomsburg University.
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