CHEYNEY, Pa. – Freshman
Ariel Jones led four Raiders in double figures Wednesday night with 32 points as the Shippensburg University women's basketball team maintained its push toward a playoff berth with a crucial Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) road victory at Cheyney, 79-52, from Cope Hall.
Shippensburg (6-19, 5-14) moved into a tie for sixth place in the PSAC Eastern Division with Mansfield (7-18, 5-14) with three games remaining. The two teams are set to meet this Saturday in a rematch of a Jan. 17 game won by the Mountaineers in Mansfield.
Jones posted her fifth 30-point game of the season to go along six rebounds, a career-high six assists, four steals and two blocks. She had reached 21 points by halftime, hitting a running 30-footer at the horn to send the Raiders into the intermission with a 39-23 lead.
SU out-scored the Wolves in all four quarters, racing out to a 20-10 lead after the first by closing the opening frame on a 10-2 run. The Raiders led by as many as 34 points down the stretch.
Senior
Victoria Blackburn scored 11 points – her 13th game in double figures this season – while also recording a career-high seven assists. Blackburn was 5-of-9 from the field and added two blocks and two steals.
Freshman
Kryshell Gordy posted her third double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds along with two assists and two steals. Gordy had totaled nine points and 10 rebounds by halftime. It is the seventh time this season she has recorded double-digit rebounds.
Senior
Kristin McGeough scored 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting to go along with six rebounds, two assists and two blocks. McGeough posted double figures for the ninth time this season. Freshman
Kasey Engle had eight points and three rebounds.
Cheyney (5-20, 3-16) got 11 points from TaKayla Ellis and 10 points from Gianni Hill.
Shippensburg hosts Mansfield at 1 p.m. Saturday from Heiges Field House. A full day of activities includes the annual Alumni Game at 10 a.m., and "Play With Hart" festivities throughout the afternoon.
