KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Sophomore Morgan Griffith scored 20 points and grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds Wednesday night and the Shippensburg University women's basketball team needed every last one of her points, ultimately surviving host Kutztown, 59-55, in a PSAC East contest at Keystone Arena.
 
Shippensburg (10-7, 6-5 PSAC) got out to a hot start in winning its third-straight league game, racing out to a 27-15 lead in the first half behind a 50-percent shooting effort and assists on nine of its first 12 buckets. The Raiders still led by 10 points at halftime, 29-19, despite going the final 5:48 of the opening frame without a field goal.
 
Kutztown (6-9, 5-7) would chip away at its deficit throughout the second half and eventually tie the score twice in the final six minutes. Griffith hit her second three-pointer of the night with 2:26 remaining to put SU back up by three, and the Raiders would use steady defense and a 5-of-6 effort at the free-throw line to ultimately prevail.
 
Griffith was the only player on either team to play all 40 minutes Wednesday and was consistently active on both ends of the floor. Her stat line also included two assists, two blocks and two steals. She had already reached nine points and 11 rebounds by halftime, and her three-pointers were the only two made by Shippensburg on the night.
 
Griffith's 19 rebounds are the most by an SU player since PSAC all-time leading scorer Lauren Beckley '10 had 20 against West Chester on Feb. 24, 2010.
 
Junior Stephanie Knauer had another strong effort for the Raiders with 14 points – 10 in the first half – on 7-of-12 shooting. She had five rebounds, a season-high four steals and two assists.
 
Sophomores Colleen Young and Logan Snyder each added nine points, with Young adding six rebounds and two assists.
 
The Raiders' strong start came by virtue of excellent passing. Sophomore Lauren Gold had seven assists on the night; she was just 1-of-4 from the field for four points. Her two free throws came with 47 seconds remaining and SU holding a three-point lead at the time.
 
SU finished with a 38-22 advantage in the paint and a decisive 46-35 advantage on the glass.
 
Shippensburg hosts Millersville at 1 p.m. Saturday from Heiges Field House.