The Shippensburg University women's basketball team overcame a 15-point halftime deficit to tie host Bowie State after three quarters on Sunday afternoon and eventually emerge with the victory, defeating the Bulldogs in overtime by a 63-56 score in non-conference action at A.C. Jordan Arena.
 
Shippensburg (4-1) earned its second win of the season over Bowie State (3-3) with a resurgent defensive effort in the second half, holding the Bulldogs to 30-percent shooting after halftime and just 27 total points in the final 25 minutes, including just one three-pointer, after Bowie hit six three-pointers in the first half.
 
SU trailed 29-14 at halftime after scoring just five points in a second quarter in which it committed six turnovers and seven fouls and shot 22 percent from the field. Bowie scored 23 points in the second quarter but was held to six points in the first quarter and third quarter, as the Raiders erupted for 21 points on 9-of-14 (64 percent) shooting with four assists and five steals in the third quarter.
 
Shippensburg scored 11 points off Bowie turnovers in the third quarter, finishing the game scoring 24 points off turnovers. The Raiders also outscored the Bulldogs in the paint by a 40-18 margin.
 
Senior Ariel Jones led the Raiders with 18 points, added seven rebounds and had two assists while also drawing four charges (offensive fouls) against the Bulldogs. Jones hit a jumper with 49 seconds remaining that gave SU a 49-48 lead, and after securing a defensive rebound and being fouled, hit 1-of-2 free throws. With three seconds left in regulation, coming out of a timeout, Bowie State's Saniha Jackson hit a layup at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
 
Bowie State hit a three-pointer on its opening possession of overtime but was limited to three points the rest of the way. Sophomore Abbie Miller hit a pair of big buckets in the extra session, including a driving reverse layup that resulted in an "and-one" at the free-throw line that gave SU a three-point lead it would not relinquish.
 
Junior Treasure George finished with her first career double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds. Four of her six defensive rebounds came in the decisive third quarter, and she also made 3-of-4 at the free-throw line in overtime to help the Raiders to victory.
 
Miller finished with nine points, six rebounds and three assists while committing just one turnover and drew another charge on defense. Senior Lauren Pettis had nine points on 4-of-6 shooting along with six rebounds and two steals before fouling out.
 
Sophomore Taja Colbert had nine points, a game-high and career-high four steals, two assists and two rebounds. Graduate Mya Woodyard added four key points on 2-of-3 shooting.
 
Bowie State's Jayla Irvin continued her presence as a key scorer off the bench, leading all Bulldogs with a career-high 23 points including four three-pointers. Irvin scored 20 points earlier in the week off the bench in a win over UDC. No other Bulldog scored in double figures, with Anii Harris scoring nine points before fouling out.
 
The physical contest featured 48 fouls, including a technical on George. The two meetings this season between Shippensburg and Bowie featured a combined 100 fouls.
 
Shippensburg will open conference play next weekend when it hosts California (Pa.) at 5:30 p.m. Friday and Slippery Rock at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

NOTES: SU has started the season 4-1 for the first time in five years (2016-17 season)…Sunday marked SU's first overtime on the road in five years (a 73-70 win at Charleston on Nov. 26, 2017)…with her 18 points, Jones moved past Cal's Kayla Smith (2096 points from 2006-11) and IUP's Jahzinga Tracey (2102 points from 2005-09) to reach seventh place all-time in career scoring in PSAC history.