Box Score

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University men's basketball team hung tight with a talented Alderson-Broaddus squad on Friday night in its 2013-14 season opener but could not complete a second-half comeback, dropping a 66-57 decision to the Battlers in the 2013 Wolf's Bus Lines Classic.

Sophomore Joe Lococo scored a team-high 17 points in the head coaching debut of SU bench boss Chris Fite, while sophomore Tony Ellis grabbed a Raider-best eight rebounds to go along with seven points. Freshman Abe Massaley added 13 points.

Shippensburg (0-1) put forth a spirited defensive effort in the first half, leading 24-22 in the final minute of the opening frame until Alderson-Broaddus (2-0) hit a three-pointer just eight seconds before the intermission. SU limited the Battlers, who reached the WVIAC Tournament Semifinals last season, to just 11 points in the first 10 minutes of play.

The Raiders shot 40 percent in the contest but managed just 42 field-goal attempts. Junior Mark Wilmer, freshman Oliver Stroh and sophomore Jay Hardy combined for 13 points off the bench.

Shippensburg will host Shepherd at 8 p.m. Saturday in the eighth and final game of the 2013 Wolf's Bus Lines Classic inside Heiges Field House.