The Shippensburg University men's basketball team could not get past host Virginia State on Saturday night at the Trojan Tip-Off Classic, dropping an 85-75 decision at the Multipurpose Center.
 
Shippensburg (1-1) opened the second half on a 14-3 run to flip a nine-point halftime deficit into a two-point lead. SU trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half but used a 10-0 run to chip away at its initial deficit.  
 
Virginia State (1-0) began an 15-2 run with 9:36 remaining to bolster a two-point lead into a 15-point advantage. SU once again managed to get within five points of the lead with 85 seconds left but got no closer.
 
The host Trojans shot 50.7 percent from the field and outscored the Raiders in the paint, 40-28. SU shot 42 percent from the field, including 8-of-20 (40 percent) from three-point range.
 
Junior Luke Nedrow led the Raiders with 21 points – his second career 20-point game. Nedrow made a career-high three three-pointers, grabbed five rebounds and two blocks in 30 minutes of action before fouling out.
 
Redshirt-junior Rashon Johnson posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Senior Kiyon Hardy had 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting and junior Carlos Carter had 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
 
Francis Fitzgerald scored 23 points for the Trojans and was one rebound shy of a double-double. He was 9-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three-point range. Virginia State out-rebounded the Raiders, 45-31, and had 17 second-chance points.
 
Shippensburg will host Wilmington (Del.) at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Heiges Field House.