The Shippensburg University men’s basketball team lost to Shepherd University, 54-51, Wednesday night in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division game at Heiges Field House.
Shippensburg (13-14, 8-12 PSAC) limited Shepherd (18-9, 14-6) to 15 percent shooting (5-of-33) and 12 points through the first 18:30 of the game. The Rams were 0-for-13 from three-point range in the first half. The Raiders led 32-18 at halftime after a Timmy Conner jumper at the buzzer.
Shepherd opened the second half on a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to 34-28. Shippensburg extended its lead to 42-32 with 11 minutes remaining before the Rams responded with a 12-3 run to pull within one, 45-44, at the 6:37 mark.
After trailing 49-46 at the final media timeout, Shepherd took its first lead of the game, 50-49, on a stepback jumper by Marcus Banks with 1:53 remaining. Banks added a layup in the final minute to extend the lead to 52-49.
Jackson Boone scored on a layup with 10 seconds left to make it a one-point game. Elwyne Wordlaw made two free throws in the closing seconds, and Shippensburg’s game-tying three-point attempt at the buzzer missed.
Shippensburg shot 36 percent (22-of-61) from the field and 16 percent (3-of-19) from three-point range. Shepherd shot 34 percent (22-of-64) overall and 17 percent (4-of-23) from beyond the arc. Both teams scored 30 points in the paint. The Raiders committed seven turnovers; Shepherd had eight. The teams combined to go 10-of-12 at the free-throw line.
Shepherd recorded 16 offensive rebounds and 16 second-chance points. Shippensburg had 12 offensive rebounds and nine second-chance points. Over the final 9:19, Shepherd shot 8-of-10 from the field, while Shippensburg went 4-of-15 and 1-of-8 in the final four minutes.
Conner and Jaydon Smith led the Raiders with 10 points each. Smith shot 5-of-11 from the field, and Conner went 4-of-7, including 2-of-3 from three-point range. Denzel Figueroa had six points, a season-high 11 rebounds and three blocks. Shippensburg recorded seven blocks, matching a season high, with Smith and Figueroa posting three each.
Favor Okigweh led Shepherd with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Banks also scored 14 points and had three steals. Wordlaw finished with 12 points off the bench, and Daouda Traore grabbed 10 rebounds.
Shippensburg concludes its regular season at 3 p.m. Saturday at Lock Haven University. The Raiders are the fifth seed and Lock Haven the sixth seed in the upcoming PSAC Tournament.
