SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's basketball team had a strong fourth quarter on Saturday and nearly completed a comeback from a double-digit halftime deficit, but the Raiders ultimately came up short in a 68-64 loss to visiting East Stroudsburg in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup from Heiges Field House.
 
Shippensburg (6-8, 3-4 PSAC) trailed by 12 points, 58-46, with a little more than five minutes remaining. A scoring surge put the Raiders within two possessions in the final 30 seconds, and SU would get as close as two points of the lead in the final five seconds before the visitors clinched the game with a pair of free throws.
 
East Stroudsburg (7-7, 4-3) hit five three-pointers in a 4:16 span to start the second quarter, capping a 17-4 run that gave the Warriors a lopsided advantage. ESU never trailed in Saturday's game, leading by as many as 16 points in the third quarter. Tiffany Lapotsky paced the Warriors with 18 points, making 9-of-10 at the free-throw line, while Jordan Hertz added seven points, eight assists and six steals.    

Sophomore Ariel Jones led all players with 30 points, making a pair of three-pointers and shooting 8-of-11 from the free-throw line. Jones also had seven rebounds and team highs of four assists, four steals and two blocks. Saturday marked the 10th time in her 42-game career that Jones has scored at least 30 points in a game, including her fifth time this season.
 
Freshman Aunbrielle Green came off the bench Saturday and posted 14 points and seven rebounds as the second Raider in double figures. It was Green's eight game in double figures this season.
 
Sophomore Kryshell Gordy nearly had a double-double, finishing with nine points and 10 rebounds. Gordy posted double-digit rebounds for the fourth time this season and the first time since Nov. 20 versus Jefferson.
 
Freshman Lauren Mills contributed four points and a career-high six rebounds, while freshman Margarita Kilpatrick scored a couple of big baskets off the bench and finished with five points and an assist.
 
Redshirt-sophomore Lindsay Embly made her first start of the season and finished with two points and three rebounds. Sophomore Emily Houck earned her first collegiate start and provided a rebound and an assist.
 
Shippensburg finished with 20 points off 20 ESU turnovers; the Raider defense forced its second-most turnovers of the season in Saturday's game. SU's 19 bench points also marked a season high.
 
Saturday marked just the third game this season decided by four points or less – the Raiders are now 1-2 in such contests and fell to 2-3 this season in games decided by two possessions (six points or less).
 
UP NEXT: Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. at Millersville.