The Shippensburg University basketball team defeated Shepherd and Lock Haven this week.
The Raiders (12-4, 9-2 PSAC) first defeated Shepherd University on Wednesday, outlasting the Rams 66-60. Redshirt-junior Rashon Johnson led the scoring with a game-high 22 points on 50% shooting.
It was a game of runs as SU came out of the gates on a blistering 22-5 run, seemingly looking to put the game away early. Shepherd countered with a 16-2 run of their own however and the Raiders led by only three at halftime.
With 13:24 remaining in the game Shippensburg led by 11 points, but another run put together by the Rams saw them cut the lead to just two.
The second half was very close. Both teams went back and fourth with the lead. With less then a minute to go Junior Carlos Carter calmly hit a pull-up three-pointer to give the Raiders a two possession lead.
Two Johnson free throws a possession later created the final scoring margin of 66-60 and gave SU the win.
Carter posted 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals. Redshirt-junior Dom Sleva shot 6-8 from the field for 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Graduate Jake Biss nailed three three-pointers and tied a game-high eight assists.
On Saturday afternoon, the Raiders would return to their home floor to take on Lock Haven pulled out a 69-58 victory in front of a packed Heiges Field House.
Biss led the Raiders in scoring with a season-high 25 points on 8-15 shooting. He also dished out six assists and pulled down three rebounds.
SU’s defense held Lock Haven to 23-percent shooting in the first half, leading to a seven-point halftime lead. The Raiders then used an early 15-4 run in the second half to pull away from the Bald Eagles.
Johnson recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds while junior Luke Nedrow also pulled down 11 rebounds with six points. Sleva grabbed 11 rebounds in the game as well.
Senior Kiyon Hardy scored 13 points with four assists and three steals while freshman Satchel Ball made his collegiate debut and scored four points while playing solid on ball defense.
The Raiders sit atop the PSAC East division standings and will play at home again on Wednesday against Bloomsburg University.
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