Millersville, Pa. -- Senior Alayah Hall scored a new career-high 33 points to help the Marauders avoid an upset at home. Millersville defeated Shippensburg 72-65 Wednesday night. 

Hall's 33 points were the most by a Marauder in the Statcrew era which started in the 2002-03 season. The last time a Marauder scored 30 or more points against Shippensburg was Carly Gallagher on Feb. 26, 2014. Hall could not be stopped as she drove the paint at will against a leaky Shippensburg defense. She shot 12-21 from the field and contributed heavily to the team's 40 points in the paint.

Shippensburg's upset was a real possibility after a difficult first quarter offensively by Millersville. The Marauders could not get shots to fall as the team shot 2-8 from the field and only mustered five points. The Raiders scored 16 points with PSAC leading scorer Ariel Jones leading the way with eight points. Adding insult to injury, the Marauders turned the ball over seven times which gave the Raiders extra possessions to add to their lead. Three minutes into the second quarter, Shippensburg earned its largest lead of the game as it led Millersville 24-6. 

Determined to turn the tide of the game, Hall responded with two straight lay ups to spark the Marauders offense and cut the lead to 14. Following two free throws from Jones which added back to Shippensburg's lead, Hall scored the next seven points as she drove the paint and drew contact for an and-one. Redshirt junior Janelle Robinson got in on the scoring action as she made key free throws following Hall's lay ups. Millersville finished the second quarter on a 23-4 run that eviscerated the Shippensburg lead. The Marauders walked into the locker room with a 29-28 lead.

The teams played a back and forth third quarter as Hall and Jones traded lay ups. The Marauders outscored the Raiders 15-14 in the third quarter to take a 44-42 lead into the final quarter. The fourth quarter began with Millersville building a multi-possession lead as Hall continued to make lay ups and convert at the free throw line. The Marauders' early fourth quarter runs were aided by Jones and Victoria Blackburn sitting on the Shippensburg bench with four fouls each. However, the fourth quarter turned into a slug fest after Jones entered back into the game and scored in the paint and from the free throw line. Shippensburg cut Millersville's lead to three with 34 seconds left, but Robinson and sophomore Savanna Krusinsky combined for six made free throws in the final 30 seconds to close out the game in Millersville's favor.

Robinson finished second on the team in scoring with 14 points while snagging 13 rebounds. Robinson has now recorded two straight double doubles. The guard was clutch from the free throw line during key Millersville runs as she went a perfect 8-8 at the charity stripe. Freshman Lauren Lister finished third on the team with 11 points as she notched her fifth straight game scoring in double figures.

Despite Jones scoring 35 points, Millersville neutralized the rest of Shippensburg's scorers as Kryshell Gordy was the only other Raider to score in double figures with 10 points. More importantly, Millersville dominated the board as they out-rebounded Shippensburg 41-29. The Marauders are 8-1 this season when they snag 40 or more rebounds. 

The Marauders improved to 12-10 on the season and 9-9 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Millersville improved to 9-4 in Pucillo Gymnasium, but the team will play three of its last four games on the road. Millersville heads to Bloomsburg Feb. 10 to face the Huskies who are on a three game winning streak. Tip off is scheduled for 1 p.m.