SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. – Nothing on the offensive end is coming easy for the Marauders lately. For the third time in the last four games, Millersville failed to score 60 points, and that resulted in its third loss in four games. Shepherd got hot from three for one short stretch in the second half, and that was enough to top the struggling Marauders, 57-50. 

Millersville (7-6, 4-3 PSAC), scored 25 points in both halves and yet, because of its scrappy defense, still managed to take a 35-34 lead on a Ryan Davis steal and fast-break layup with just over 16 minutes remaining. But over the next six minutes, Millersville missed 5-of-6 shot attempts and turned the ball over twice while Shepherd made 3-pointers on four of five possessions, all late in the shot clock against Millersville's tightly-played defense. That run turned Millersville's one-point lead into an 11-point deficit for the Marauders. 

The frustration for the Marauders compounded late as opportunities to make a run disappeared with an inability to execute. Millersville trailed by nine with more than six minutes to go but committed a turnover on four-straight possessions. That sealed their fate. 

"Being unable to score puts so much pressure on your defense," said Millersville head coach Casey Stitzel. "We tried to press but pressing on the road against veteran guards is tough. If someone would have told me we'd give up 57 points and 35% shooting and out-rebound them, I'd say we win by 10. There was a chance to make a run in the second half, and we just couldn't do it."

The Marauders shot 34.7% from the field and made just 4-of-23 from 3-point range. Shepherd shot 35.3% but knocked down 11 threes, which made all the difference. 

"You wonder going in, leaving early in the morning for a road game, maybe they are tired with two road games in a row, but defensively we were flying around and out-rebounded them," said Stitzel. "We just can't make a shot, and it's demoralizing--layups, foul shots, we can't get out of it."

Justin Nwosu led the Marauders with 11 points, shooting 3-of-10 from the field, and nine of his shots were 3-pointers. Ryan Davis scored nine points to go with two steals and a career-high 14 rebounds. A sure sign of a struggling offense, Millersville totaled a season-low three assists, and it has totaled just 16 assists in the last three games. 

"We have to be able to execute better," said Stitzel. "There are some turnovers that have to go away, but today was one of our better games where we executed sets and got what we wanted. We got Justin on the pick and pop, and Matt (Dade) on the post. We got open threes. The shots just won't go in. It's a credit to the guys that we are still 7-6 without being able to score. It's been their effort on defense and the culture, and they've done a great job with that. They are doing everything I've asked them to do. We just can't make a shot."

Millersville has now lost five consecutive games at Shepherd and hasn't beaten the Rams on the road since 1990. The Marauders have now scored fewer than 60 points four times this season and are winless in those games. They are 4-0 when holding opponents to fewer than 60. 

UP NEXT
• Millersville plays two home games next week, starting Wednesday, Jan. 11 against Kutztown.