Millersville, Pa. - Millersville rallied back from an 20-point deficit to take a one-point lead midway through the second half, but Shippensburg used an 8-0 run in the final minutes to gain separation and ultimately hold off Millersville, 81-76.
Millersville found itself in a 30-10 hole after playing nearly 13 minutes with just five field goals, but it scratched back into it by holding Shippensburg to 37.1 percent shooting in the final 20 minutes. The Marauders also hit 7-of-12 3-pointers in the second half and shot 54.8 percent in the period after shooting 34.4 percent in the first.
"The last 30 minutes was what Millersville basketball is and what we want it to be," said Millersville head coach
Casey Stitzel. "[Shippensburg] wasn't comfortable. We made them take tough shots and go to the second and third options. We have to do a little better job on the glass. They got some 50-50 balls. But we shared the ball better offensively and weren't stagnant. When we played better offensively it really helped our defense."
But while Millersville outscored Shippensburg 66-51 over the final 27-plus minutes, Shippensburg, seemingly always had an answer in crunchtime.
"[Shippensburg] has a team with guys who were in the Sweet 16 last year and won a conference championship two years ago," said Stitzel. "They have experience and they expect to win every game. They made experienced-based plays. Hopefully we can get to the point where we are making those plays."
Millersville opened the second on a 17-5 run.
James Sullivan, who did the Marauders' heavy lifting in the half with 14 points, hit one of his four threes with 13:16 left to tie the score at 46 apiece. Shippensburg maintained no more than a two possession advantage until
Caden Najdawi gave the Marauders a 56-55 lead with 8:13 to go. The Raiders came right back, though.
After
Jaden Faulkner's 3-pointer cut Ship's lead to 65-54 with 3:16 to go, Lamar Talley answered with a three of his own. After a Millersville turnover, Jake Bliss hit another three. Millersville came up empty on a third consecutive trip, and Shippensburg, following two offensive rebounds, got a put-back from Talley to cap an 8-0 run that gave the Raiders an insurmountable 73-66 lead with 1:21 to go.
Millersville pulled within four twice in the final minute but could get no closer. Sullivan missed only one shot in the entire second half, and his three with a chance to get Millersville to within one with 31 seconds left went halfway down before rimming out.
Shippensburg kept its distance by hitting all eight free throws in the final minute.
"If we play as hard as we did in the second half and a little smarter, we have a chance to get some momentum going into the playoffs," said Stitzel."
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
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Jamal Washington came off the bench and provided a big spark in the first half. He ended a five-minute scoring drought and finished the half with 13 points. He finished with 14 on 5-of-10 shooting.
• Sullivan led Millersville with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
Marcus Adkison scored 10 of his 15 in the second, and
Justin Nwosu scored 10 of his 14 in the second. Adkison also added five assists.
• Millersville made 11 3-pointers--its most since Dec. 29. Millersville made 21 threes in two games against Shippensburg.
NOTES
• Shippensburg has won the last five meetings at Heiges Fieldhouse.
• Ship's win over Millersville earned it a three-game lead in the PSAC East standings. Millersville is currently fourth with four games to play. Three of Millersville's final four are at home.
QUOTABLE
"We talked about in the locker room that we have to figure out what it takes. To be a really good team, especially on the road, you can't have the five or six-minute bad stretches. We have to cut the 12 bad basketball plays to six. Especially when really good teams take advantage of every mistake. We have to keep learning, starting the game better. If we can be more consistent we will be a tough team down the stretch." -
Casey Stitzel
UP NEXT
• Millersville's next two games are at home. The Marauders host Bloomsburg on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 3 p.m.
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