The Shippensburg University women's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking loss on Tuesday night at Jefferson, dropping an 87-85 decision to the Rams after the hosts hit a lay-up at the buzzer in competition from the Gallagher Center.
 
Shippensburg (3-4) used a 10-0 run late in the fourth quarter to flip a five-point deficit into a five-point lead with 1:16 remaining. SU still led by two points with 19 seconds remaining before making the front end of a pair of free throws to extend its lead to three points.
 
Jefferson (3-3) hit a three-pointer with nine seconds remaining to tie the score. On the ensuing in-bounds, the Raiders were called for a charge as they were trying to advance the ball up the floor. With just two seconds remaining, the Rams called timeout after the foul and then converted a lay-up on an inbounds play to achieve the win.
 
Four Raiders posted double figures. Junior Ariel Jones came off the bench in Tuesday's game and scored a team-high 24 points, making a pair of three-pointers and 8-of-9 at the free-throw line. Jones also led all players with 12 rebounds, matching a career high, and had a season-high three assists.
 
Junior Destiny Jefferson scored 19 points, shooting 3-of-6 from three-point range, to go along with five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
 
Junior Kryshell Gordy was 6-of-7 from the field, scoring 12 points to complement five rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
 
Freshman Treasure George scored a career-high 12 points, shooting 5-of-8 from the field (2-of-3 from three-point range).
 
SU posted a 44-32 advantage in rebounds, with sophomore Lauren Pettis grabbing nine for the game. Pettis had seven points, nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals.
 
Sophomore Aunbrielle Green had three points and three rebounds. Sophomore Lauren Mills had five points, and junior Erin Gibbons hit a three-pointer.
 
Both teams did well from three-point range. The Raiders were 9-of-18 (50 percent), while the Rams were 13-of-31 (42 percent). SU shot a season-best 78 percent (18-of-23) from free-throw line, and shot 45 percent from the field overall.
 
Jefferson was facing its third straight PSAC East opponent, having defeated West Chester (70-56) before falling to Kutztown (65-61). The Rams had 23 assists compared to 13 turnovers, while the Raiders had 12 assists compared to 16 turnovers.
 
The offensive star of the game was Alynna Williams, who scored 37 points (8-of-15 from three-point range) to go along with six rebounds and four assists. Haley Meinel added 14 points, while Maddie Haney hit the game-tying three-pointer.
 
Shippensburg returns to action at 2 p.m. Sunday when it hosts Holy Family from Heiges Field House.