Box Score

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Graduate guard Dane Lauber scored a career-high 19 points on Saturday night from Morrow Field House but the Shippensburg University men's basketball team shot a season-low 33 percent from the field in a 61-52 loss at the hands of PSAC West foe Slippery Rock.

On paper, the contest was a matchup of the nation's 10th-ranked field-goal shooting team (Shippensburg) against the nation's fourth-ranked field-goal defense. The hosts won out, limiting SU to just 18 made buckets and a 4-of-14 proficiency from three-point range. The Raiders, normally reliant on the deep-range shot to augment its score, did not hit a three-pointer until just 16 minutes remained in the contest.

Lauber scored 12 of his 19 points in the second half. He was 6-of-9 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line. Lauber has made 18 of his last 20 attempts at the charity stripe spanning back to the Clarion game on December 9.

Shippensburg (6-8, 3-5 PSAC) fell to 1-5 this season in PSAC games in which it has lost the rebounding edge. The Rock out-rebounded the Raiders 42-30. SU did get a double-double off the bench, however, from senior Will Royal – who totaled 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Senior John Corrigan added eight points off the bench while fellow senior Jordan Stasyszyn was limited to six points. Sophomore Dylan Edgar had four points and eight boards.

Slippery Rock (8-4, 5-3 PSAC) got 18 points from Jon Valeriano  and double-doubles from Tabari Perry (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Devin Taylor (10 points, 10 rebounds). The Rock shot 52 percent in the second half despite not shooting a free throw until the final five minutes of the contest.

Shippensburg opens PSAC Eastern Division play at 8 p.m. Wednesday from Heiges Field House against Bloomsburg.