The Shippensburg University men's basketball team used a 13-2 run late in the second half on Saturday to pull away from Lock Haven and post an 81-68 victory over the Bald Eagles in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) road clash from Thomas Fieldhouse.
 
Shippensburg (18-4, 14-3 PSAC) never trailed in the second half against Lock Haven (7-15, 5-13) but played within two possessions of the Bald Eagles for much of the frame. SU did reach a 10-point lead with 11:22 remaining, but LHU countered with an 11-4 run over the next 6:18 of play to make it a three-point game with less than five minutes remaining.
 
The decisive Raider run included a 3-of-4 proficiency from three-point range and limiting the home team to just two points in 2:57 of play. SU led by double digits the rest of the way.
 
Senior Dustin Sleva recorded his sixth straight double-double (16th of the season, 52nd of his career) with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Sleva made three three-pointers on the day.
 
Senior Justin McCarthur delivered 17 points, including a pair of three-pointers, to go along with five assists and two steals. Junior Antonio Kellem scored 13 points, including three three-pointers, while sophomore John Castello contributed 11 points and seven rebounds despite some second-half foul trouble.
 
Senior Clay Conner scored nine points, going 3-of-3 from the field and 2-of-2 at the free-throw line, while tying a career high with eight assists. Conner also did not commit a turnover, marking the 10th time this season that Conner has finished a game with one turnover or less.
 
The athleticism of sophomore Na'Quan Council came into play down the stretch, as he grabbed five offensive rebounds in the game and finished with a career-high seven boards in the game. Council also hit a three-pointer in the second half, finishing with five points in the game.
 
Junior Manny Span added four points, two rebounds and two steals off the bench.
 
Shippensburg committed just eight turnovers, marking the first time in the last 11 games that the team has not committed double-digit turnovers (seventh time overall this season). The Raiders made 10 three-pointers – five in each half – and made 13-of-15 (86 percent) from the free-throw line.
 
Lock Haven got 22 points from Tarojae Brake and 17 points from Ra'eese Hunt. Amir Hinton, the conference's second-leading scorer, came off the bench in the game and finished with 13 points.
 
Shippensburg heads to Kutztown on Monday for a makeup game with the Golden Bears. Tip-off on Monday is at 7:30 p.m. from Keystone Arena.