SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's basketball team survived a late surge from visiting Mercyhurst on Friday night to emerge victorious, defeating the visiting Lakers by a score of 80-75 in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) mandated crossover at Heiges Field House.
 
Shippensburg (5-2, 1-0 PSAC) used a 7-0 run late in the third quarter to take a nine-point lead that it would maintain into the final 10 minutes. SU led by 13 points with 5:37 to play, but Mercyhurst (1-5, 0-1 PSAC) rallied with five three-pointers in the final quarter to make it a one-possession game in the final minute.
 
With 13 seconds remaining, the score 78-75 and Mercyhurst seeking to tie, senior Destiny Jefferson stole a pass and dribbled a few seconds off the clock before sinking two free throws to seal the game.
 
Jefferson scored 21 points – all in the second half – to lead four Raiders in double figures. She was 6-of-6 from the field in the second half, including 3-of-3 from three-point range, and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line.
 
Junior Lauren Pettis finished with 16 points, shooting 6-of-9 from the field. Sophomore Treasure George had 15 points – she was 3-of-3 from three-point range in the first half.
 
Junior Lauren Mills finished with 10 points and a matched a team high with seven rebounds. Off the bench, freshman Ali Hauck had seven points and seven rebounds. All of Hauck's rebounds came in the first half.

Freshman Taja Colbert played all 40 minutes and did not commit a turnover, finishing with five points, four rebounds and four assists. 
 
The Lakers got a game-high 23 points from Julia Buchman, who made five of Mercyhurst's 10 three-pointers. Emily Shopene had a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Mercyhurst opened the game on an 8-0 run, but the Raiders used a 10-0 run over a 90-second span of the first quarter to gain a brief lead. A couple of Laker three-pointers late in the frame gave the visitors a 25-24 edge after 10 minutes. The majority of the second and third quarters were played within four points until SU's late third-quarter run.
 
The Raiders finished 21-of-32 at the free-throw line, making 66 percent, while the Lakers were 11-of-14 for 79 percent at the line.
 
Shippensburg will host No. 7 Gannon at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Heiges Field House.