Box Score

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's basketball team held tight with PSAC East-leading Bloomsburg on Wednesday night before falling, 70-59, in the Raiders' division opener from Heiges Field House.

Junior Dana Wert hit five three-pointers and finished with a game-high 21 points and a career-high nine rebounds. Senior Monae Baker finished with her fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

The Raiders (6-7, 3-6 PSAC) held the defending PSAC East champion Huskies (12-3, 6-3) in check to start the game, with SU building a 11-7 lead after a steal by sophomore Sarah Strybuc led to a Baker layup at the 14:13 mark of the first half.

Bloomsburg quickly gained momentum, however, after a 14-4 BU run gave the Huskies a six-point lead, 21-15, with just under 10 minutes left before intermission. The Raiders answered with a 10-0 run of their own, highlighted by back-to-back-to-back threes on consecutive possessions from Dana Wert, Baker and Dana Wert again.

With Shippensburg up 29-25, a Kelsey Gallagher three-pointer sparked a Huskies 7-0 run that gave BU a 34-29 lead at the 1:42 mark of the first half. A Baker layup and two free throws from Dana Wert closed the deficit to just one point, 34-33, at halftime.

The Huskies opened up a 13-point advantage nearly seven minutes into the second half, but a 9-0 run courtesy of Dana Wert and her twin sister, junior Shawna Wert, brought the Raiders back within four, down 53-49 with exactly 10 minutes left in the contest.

A Bloomsburg jumper extended the lead back to six, but a steal by Strybuc – who finished with a career-high five swipes, the most by a Raider this season – a half-minute later later sparked a fast break. Sophomore Codi McMaster, playing her most extensive minutes of the season, assisted Strybuc on a layup to pull SU within 55-51.

That was the closest SU would get, however, as the Raiders failed to get closer than eight points in the final five minutes of regulation.

McMaster played 23 minutes in the contest, by far her most this season, and finished with a season-high three points and career highs in both rebounds (five) and assists (two).

Shawna Wert went 6-of-7 from the free-throw line to finish in double-figures with 10 points to go along with seven rebounds and a game-high four assists. Strybuc finished with eight points.

Shippensburg will hit the road this weekend to face Mansfield at 1 p.m. Saturday from Decker Gymnasium. The game will be broadcast live on WSYC 88.7 FM in Shippensburg and online at wsyc.org.