Box Score

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Sophomore Stephanie Knauer and freshman Morgan Griffith posted double-doubles Monday night as the Shippensburg University women's basketball team recorded a staggering 70 rebounds and eventually outlasted regional rival Shepherd, 78-72, in the 2013-14 opener from Heiges Field House.

Shippensburg (1-0) led by eight points at halftime but trailed 70-69 with 2:45 to play. A Knauer jumper just 30 seconds later put the Raiders back in front by one, and after the score became tied 72-72 with 81 seconds left, SU out-scored the Rams 6-0 down the stretch.

In total, the Raiders out-rebounded the Rams 70-50 – with 36 of SU's rebounds coming off the offensive glass. Both rebound totals are team benchmarks for 15th-year SU head coach Kristy Trn '93/'94M. Shippensburg totaled 32 second-chance points in the game despite losing the scoring battle in the paint (46-36) to the Rams.

Knauer led all players with a career-high 27 points on 12-of-20 shooting. Her 13 rebounds resulted in her 13th career double-double.

Griffith led all players with 16 rebounds, grabbing eight each of the offensive and defensive variety. She also scored 11 points, had four steals, blocked two shots and dished out two assists in her Raider debut.

SU got 34 points from players making their collegiate debut. Freshman Lauren Gold scored 10 points in 19 minutes off the bench and made 8-of-10 at the free-throw line. Freshman Alexia Servello chipped in with nine points.

Fellow freshmen Haley Scullion and Logan Snyder scored two points in their debuts. Scullion added seven rebounds, three assists and a steal without committing a turnover in her 13 minutes.

Senior Sarah Strybuc had nine points, five rebounds and four assists while sophomore Caitlyn Deeter scored eight points and collected a career-high 10 rebounds.

Shepherd (0-1) was led in scoring by Gabby Flinchum, who posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Flinchum also blocked seven shots and the Rams totaled 17 blocks in the contest. Rachel Johnson contributed 11 points off the bench as exactly half of Shepherd's points (36) were scored by their non-starters.

Shippensburg will host Goldey-Beacom at 6 p.m. Friday on the first day of the 2013 Wolf's Bus Lines Classic.

Notes: SU has won four straight season openers and seven straight home openers at Heiges Field House…the two teams combined for 51 fouls and 53 free-throw attempts with the game being whistled close to the vest...Shippensburg's two three-pointers are its fewest in a game since a loss at Bloomsburg on Jan. 16, 2013 (1-for-16)…both teams scored 24 points off turnovers…Shepherd is 2-8 against Shippensburg since Trn became the Raiders' head coach in 1999.