SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University men's basketball team shot 70 percent from the field in a 48-point first half Wednesday before using an 8-0 run late in the second half to pull away from visiting Kutztown, defeating the Golden Bears 94-82 in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup from Heiges Field House.
Shippensburg (15-3, 11-1 PSAC) shot 59.3 percent from the field, just shy of its season high, including a season-best 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from three-point range. SU was also 15-of-17 (88 percent) at the free-throw line. The Raiders were 5-of-7 from three-point range in the first half.
Junior
Jake Biss led all players with 27 points, finishing 10-of-19 from the field including 5-of-7 from three-point range. Biss tied a career high with his five three-pointers, and achieved his fifth 20-point game of the season. He also had three assists and two steals on the night.
Redshirt-sophomore
Dom Sleva was 9-of-9 from the field on the night, finishing with a career-high 21 points to complement eight rebounds, an assist and a block. It is Sleva's second 20-point game of his career; he scored 20 in the Nov. 23 win at Slippery Rock.
The performance marks the most makes from the field without a miss by a Raider since Dylan Edgar went 9-of-9 against Penn State Lehigh Valley on Nov. 25, 2014. The school record for single-game field-goal percentage was set in the 1991-92 season by Brian Rehm (11-of-11).
Sophomore
Carlos Carter scored 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including an alley-oop dunk in each half. Carter also had five rebounds and two assists. Fellow sophomore
Luke Nedrow was a fourth Raider in double figures, totaling 11 points and seven rebounds. Both Nedrow and senior
Lamar Talley had two blocks.
Senior
John Castello had seven points and three rebounds and equaled a career high with four assists. Castello was 3-of-4 from the field. Junior
Kiyon Hardy had nine points, three rebounds and four assists without committing a turnover.
Kutztown (8-10, 6-6) managed the second-most points against Shippensburg this season, scoring 44 in the paint, shooting 44 percent from the field and out-rebounding the Raiders by three. The Golden Bears got 33 points from their bench, including 16 from Kyree Generett and 11 from Michael Smith III. Starters Tarojae Brake and Wesley Butler each had 14 for the visitors.
Shippensburg travels to Lock Haven this weekend for a 3 p.m. clash with the Bald Eagles from Thomas Fieldhouse.
