SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University men's basketball team got a career-high 22 points on Saturday from freshman Justin McCarthur but could not complete a second-half comeback, dropping a 71-61 decision to Mercyhurst in a PSAC contest from Heiges Field House.
 
Shippensburg (6-5, 2-5 PSAC), playing its first game in two weeks, lost for just the second time in eight home contests this season. Mercyhurst (9-4, 6-2 PSAC) scored 19 points off 19 SU turnovers and posted a 40-22 advantage on points in the paint.
 
The visiting Lakers held a 27-25 lead with 2:57 to play in the opening half before closing the half on a 6-0 run to lead by eight points at the intermission. That run spilled into the second half, as Mercyhurst came out of the locker room with a 12-2 stretch to lead 45-27 at the 16:21 mark.
 
The Raiders regularly pecked away at the lead before making their final surge in the final three minutes. Trailing 64-52 with 3:21 to play, SU went on an 8-0 run in 80 seconds, scoring six times at the free-throw line, to get within four points at the 2:01 mark.
 
However, Mercyhurst closed by making 7-of-8 free throws in the final two minutes. McCarthur's jumper with 3:02 to go was the final field goal of the game for either team.
 
Of McCarthur's 22 points, he was 6-of-13 from the field and 6-of-6 at the free-throw line. He matched his career high from three-point range, shooting 4-of-8, while recording two assists and two rebounds.
 
Senior Dylan Edgar, double-teamed all day by the Lakers, managed 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks despite being held scoreless in the first half.
 
Freshman Dustin Sleva and junior Tony Ellis alternated at the '4' spot Saturday. Both men were perfect from the field. Sleva was 3-for-3, all three-pointers, for nine points and four rebounds. Ellis was 4-of-4 for eight points; he also had four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
 
Junior A.J. Maun had five points, two rebounds, a steal and an assist without committing a turnover in 20 minutes of play. Sophomore Abe Massaley had four points and three assists.
 
Shippensburg hosts Gannon at 3 p.m. tomorrow inside Heiges Field House. The Golden Knights (8-5, 7-1) were handed their first PSAC loss of the season on Saturday, 66-61 in overtime, by Millersville (6-7, 3-5).