Box Score West Chester, Pa. - Millersville played West Chester even for 25 minutes, but the Golden Rams slowly outdistanced the Marauders for an 96-74 triumph in Hollinger Fieldhouse Thursday evening. 

Millersville (9-10, 5-5 PSAC East) received a career-high 23 points from Tyree Smith, and Kelvin Parker totaled 24 points--including six made 3-pointers--for his third consecutive 20-point performance and fourth in eight games. 

But Millersville--now 1-9 on the road and 3-17 in Hollinger Fieldhouse since 1995--could not slow Shannon Givens, Ben Mingledough and Troy Hockaday. The trio combined for 60 points and made 25-of-27 from the free throw stripe. West Chester attempted only four 3-pointers in the entire game, but cashed in 31-of-42 free throws and 48.2 percent of its shots from the field, including 55.2 percent in the second half.

Millersville held a 41-39 lead at the half and kept the game even at 48-48 until the 14:47 mark of the second half. Back-to-back Marauder turnovers turned into two consecutive fastbreak buckets for the Rams. They went on to score 18 points in the next five-plus minutes. 

Still, Millersville kept the Golden Rams within reach. Back-to-Back Parker triples, a layup from Carl Wallace and a three-point play from Tyree Smith, pulled Millersville to within 68-63 with 7:27 to go. Hockaday, Mingledough and Givens ripped off an 8-0 run, though, and quickly pushed West Chester's lead to 13--its largest of the game. 

The Marauders sliced the deficit back to 76-70 on a Wallace hoop with just under three minutes remaining, but Givens and Mingledough combined to sink eight consecutive free throws in the final 2:44 to clinch the win. 

In addition to his 24 points, Parker recorded five rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Wallace added 10 points and three assists. 

Millersville tries to even its record on Saturday at No. 3 East Stroudsburg, which was handed its first loss of the season by Lock Haven Thursday night. Tip is scheduled for 3 p.m., and fans can listen live on MSBN.