SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - Two games, two points. After 80 minutes of basketball between Millersville and Shepherd in 2019-20, two points is all that separates the teams. While Shepherd used a buzzer-beater to cap a double-digit comeback in the first meeting of the season, Millersville couldn't get the last-second shot to fall on Wednesday, and the homestanding Rams held on for an 84-83 win. 

Millersville (13-13, 10-10 PSAC) trailed by as many as 19 in the second half but furiously rallied in the final four minutes and had the ball with a chance to tie in the closing seconds. Khari Williams, who scored a career-high 28 points and had the hot-hand late, took the Marauders' last shot to extend the game. Williams' 3-pointer was well-defended and bounced off the rim. 

Shepherd (13-12, 9-10 PSAC) built its lead in the key PSAC East match-up behind the long-range shooting of Thomas Lang, who has become Millersville's (13-13, 10-10 PSAC East) nemesis in this season's two match-ups. In the first meeting, he sank the walk-off 3-pointer for a 73-72 Shepherd win in Pucillo Gymnasium, and on Wednesday, on his home court, Lang scored a team-high 22 points on 6-of-9 shooting from three. He also sank a free throw with eight seconds left that gave Shepherd a three-point lead. 

Shepherd shot 14-of-29 from three and made 22-of-29 free throws while Millersville made just 14 trips to the free throw line. Millersville entered the game converting 76 percent of its free throws but made just eight. 

Shepherd's victory muddies the PSAC East Tournament picture even more. The Rams pulled within a half-game of Millersville for the No. 4 seed. Lock Haven also moved to 9-10 with a win at Bloomsburg. 

HOW IT HAPPENED 
• Lang hit Shepherd's 14th 3-pointer to give his team a 66-47 lead with 10:35 to play. Millersville countered with four points from Williams and four from Justin Nwosu in an 8-0 run. It took Millersville five more minutes to get the deficit to single digits. 
• With just under two minutes remaining, Williams sank a 3-pointer. Mekhi Hendricks then scooped up a loose ball and raced the length of the floor for a bucket, cutting Shepherd's lead to 76-73. ​​​​Shepherd made just two field goals in the final five-and-a-half minutes, but Phillip Jordan's turnaround, baseline jumper late in the shot clock at the one-minute mark was crucial. Millersville missed at the other end, and Jon Preston knocked down a pair of free throws to put Shepherd's lead back to seven. 
• Seconds later, James Sullivan splashed a 3-pointer from the top of the key, and after Jordan made 1-of-2 from the line, Williams dribbled around a screen and sank another three to made the score 81-79 with 21 seconds to play. Millersville tried for a quick steal but resorted to fouling Jarrell Jones, who made both foul shots. Justin Nwosu scored on a put-back with just over eight seconds left to give Millersville hope at 83-81. The Marauders fouled Lang, and he made one--just enough cushion to force the Marauders to attempt a challenged 3-pointer in the closing seconds. The Gabe Kier tip-in wasn't enough. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 
• Millersville out-scored Shepherd 27-14, making 11-of-15 shots from the field and 5-of-7 from three in the final six minutes. Sullivan and Williams both recorded eight points in the rally. Shepherd made 10-of-12 foul shots in the final six minutes. 
• After scoring 31 points in the first half, Millersville scored 52 in the second. 
•​​​​​​​ Williams shot 9-of-18 from the field and 6-of-9 from three. Sullivan finished with 12 points and led the team in assists (6) and rebounds (6). Nwosu scored 21 points on 10-of-15 shooting, and Hendricks added 14. 

POSTGAME REACTION FROM COACH CASEY STITZEL
• On Shepherd's shooting: "I thought it was issues on defense. It wasn't an effort thing. We had good energy. We had some mental mistakes that hurt you on the road when you are down a couple of guys. When we play aggressive we are good. When we play passive we're not. We have to be a scrappy team. We played that way for six minutes and almost won the game. We have to find a way to start like that."
• On the team's comeback: "Our guys showed fight. We just have to play smarter. The bye will be good for us to get rested."

NOTES
• The Marauders were without the services of Caden Najdawi, their second-leading scorer, leading rebounder and shot blocker. 

UP NEXT
• Millersville is the lone PSAC East club not in action on Saturday. The Marauders return to the court on Feb. 26 at West Chester.