MANSFIELD, Pa. – Sophomore Antonio Kellem tied a career high with 25 points on Monday night as the Shippensburg University men's basketball team staved off a valiant Mansfield squad, 85-72, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup from Decker Gymnasium.
 
Shippensburg (13-0, 9-0 PSAC) and Mansfield (6-6, 4-5) exchanged runs throughout the second half, but the Mountaineers would only get as close as nine points of the Raiders after the halftime intermission. SU closed the first half on a 10-0 run, holding Mansfield without a field goal for the final 4:07, to lead by 15 points at the break, 37-22.
 
The Raiders shot 34.8 percent (8-of-23) from three-point range, its fourth-lowest output from distance this season, but Kellem was 5-of-10 from deep and finished the game 8-of-16 from the field overall. Kellem also had seven rebounds to lead the Raiders, as junior Dustin Sleva was limited to a season-low three rebounds in the contest.
 
Sleva did score 15 points, giving him at least that total in all 13 games this season, to go along with two assists and two steals. Junior Justin McCarthur had 16 points and three assists, making 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. McCarthur has now posted 15 or more points in six of the last seven games.
 
Senior Abe Massaley had 10 points and six assists – giving him a total of 402 assists in his career. Massaley becomes just the fifth player in Raider history to achieve 400 or more assists in a career, joining Art Taneyhill (580, 1961-65), Karriem Parker (448, 1991-95), Rick Jackson (440, 1984-86), and Marcus Hudson (415, 2002-06).
 
Freshman John Castello scored nine points and had five rebounds on 4-of-7 shooting. Off the bench, senior Chris Nwandu provided an inspired performance with eight points, four rebounds and two steals in 17 minutes.
 
Shippensburg hosts West Chester at 8 p.m. Wednesday in a PSAC East matchup from Heiges Field House.