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Millersville, Pa. - For the first time in 77 games as a Millersville men's basketball player, senior Alen Ahmetovic scored in double figures. And the shot that gave him his career-high 11th point proved to be the most important of Saturday's contest as the Marauders edged visiting Virginia State 63-59 for their fifth win in six games.

With the score knotted at 59 with 33 seconds left, Millersville senior Palmer McDurfee drove hard into the lane and dished to Ahmetovic who powered through the outstretched arms of Jacobe Simpson for the go-ahead points and three-point play opportunity. Ahmetovic missed his only other free throw attempt of the evening, but cashed in the late-game attempt to put the Marauders ahead, 62-59.

Virginia State's final two possessions came up empty and McDurfee put the game out of reach with 12 seconds left by hitting 1-of-2 free throws. 

The Marauders improved to 5-1 for the third time in the last four seasons, but it was not an easy victory against an athletic Trojan squad (1-6) that had mustered just one previous win.

While it was Ahmetovic's lay-up that sealed the win, it was a second-half, 3-point shooting barrage and an outstanding bench effort that paved the way. Virginia State's 1-3-1 zone slowed the Marauders early, and the Trojans took a 25-24 lead into the half thanks in part to Millersville 34.5 percent shooting.

But Millersville wasted no time retaking the lead as Guye Weber drilled a 3-pointer 10 seconds into the second half, and he followed with a long two on the next possession. Weber's streaky shooting was contagious as Cullen Murray-Kemp, who had seen just four minutes of game action since the season opener, came off the bench at the 14:37 mark and promptly buried 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to put the Marauders up, 40-34.

After an Ahmetovic lay-up, Murray-Kemp hit another trey to give Millersville its largest lead of the game at 45-34 with 11:49 to go. But just as quickly as the Marauders' offense heated, it cooled. Millersville scored just two points over the next four minutes opening the door for the Trojans who tied the game at 55 with 3:07 left on a jumper from Brandon Plummer. One minute later, the Trojans took their first lead of the second half on a steal and lay-up by Ivan Harris.

Trailing by two, the Marauders used a pair of free throws from McDurfee to tie the game at 59, and Ahmetovic's 3-point play to regain control.

Led by Ahmetovic's 11, Millersville's bench combined for 39 points. McDurfee added 10 points, five rebounds and a season-high seven assists while committing just one turnover. Murray-Kemp scored nine points in eight minutes, and Jim Kelleher hit a pair of crucial 3-pointers in the first half, giving him six points in four minutes.

Brandon Widener followed Monday's 32-point effort with 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting. Jason Blake managed two points but played the role of distributor to near-perfection, handing out seven assists and committing one turnover.

Millersville drilled 14-of-25 shots in the second period including 5-of-10 from 3-point range.

Of Millersville five wins, all have been by 12 points or fewer and three have come by single digits.

The Marauders look for three in a row Monday, Dec. 14 at home against Goldey-Beacom. Tip is scheduled for 8 p.m. Millersville's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is holding a canned food drive during the game as well. Fans that bring five canned items will receive free admission. All proceeds benefit the Water Street Mission.