Box Score

EDINBORO, Pa. – The Shippensburg University men's basketball team took to the floor for the first time in 27 days on Monday night from McComb Field House but struggled defensively in the second half, dropping a 78-67 PSAC crossover decision to the Fighting Scots of Edinboro.

Shippensburg (3-6) faced Edinboro for the second time in a month and led for the majority of the first half, building a six-point advantage on three occasions. The Red Raiders were held scoreless for the final 4:46 of the opening frame, however, and trailed by one point (27-26) at the intermission.

Junior forward Will Royal made his season debut and scored the team's first six points of the contest. He finished the game with 20 points in 26 minutes, shooting 7-of-14 from the floor while grabbing six rebounds. Royal also hit the first three-pointer of his career at the end of the game.

Edinboro (8-3) expanded upon its halftime lead and took control of the game with precision passing and disciplined ball movement. The Fighting Scots totaled an overwhelming 54 points in the paint, shot 53 percent from the floor, dished out 19 assists and committed just nine turnovers in the contest. Cory Somerville led the Scots with a game-high 21 points, shooting 10-of-14 from the floor.

SU went down by 11 points with 11:26 remaining in regulation before senior Jaren Gembe and junior Craig Van Scyoc drained three-pointers on consecutive possessions that brought the Red Raiders within five points of the lead at the 10:04 mark. That margin was as close as SU would get to the lead.

Van Scyoc was 4-of-6 from three-point range and finished with 14 points, six rebounds and two assists. Junior Dane Lauber added 10 points off the bench and has posted double digits in each of the last three games. Freshman Dylan Edgar had six points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Despite the loss, Shippensburg posted a positive assist-to-turnover ratio for the third time this season. Gembe led the Red Raiders with four assists; junior Jordan Stasyszyn added three assists and seven different players finished the contest with at least one assist.

Shippensburg will travel to face Lock Haven on Tuesday at 8 p.m.