SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University men's basketball team dominated the second half on Saturday afternoon to defeat Mansfield in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup, 68-61 at Heiges Field House.
 
Shippensburg (9-6, 7-2 PSAC) scored 40 points in the second half, coming back from multiple seven-point deficits. Senior Carlos Carter led the Raiders in scoring with 19 points while recording three steals.
 
Mansfield (3-10, 2-7) was able to hold SU at bay in the first half, keeping any Raiders lead to just one possession. The Mounties led by as many as seven points in the first half, finishing the first half on top, 33-28.
 
Shippensburg was able to regain the lead momentarily at the 17:45-mark as redshirt-senior Rashon Johnson drove coast-to-coast for a layup. Mansfield responded with an 11-3 run to regain the lead.
 
The momentum shifted as redshirt-sophomore Andrew Recchia was fouled after draining his second three-pointer of the night. Johnson collected the rebound on the subsequent missed free throw and the ball made its way into the hands of sophomore Michael Dunn, who tied the game with a trifecta of his own.
 
On the ensuing Mansfield possession, Johnson blocked a layup attempt from Saraj Ali, which was rebounded by Carter. A pass ahead from Carter was kept inbounds as Dunn hurdled an administrative table to keep the play alive, which ended with a driving layup form Carter.
 
Just 55 seconds later, Dunn stripped the ball from the hands of Saraj Ali before dishing the ball to Recchia for a fastbreak layup.
 
A jump shot from Idris Ali would put an end to the Raiders 10-point. 2:02-minute run, though SU would then hold the Mounties without a field goal until the final 47 seconds of the game – a span of 8:48. Shippensburg also held Mansfield scoreless for nearly six minutes during that span.
 
Graduate Dom Sleva posted his tenth double-double of the season with 11 points and a career-high 20 rebounds. He is tied for first in the nation for double-doubles (10) and leads the nation outright in total rebounds (193), rebounds per game (12.9) and defensive rebounds per game (10.13).
 
Sleva is the first player with 20 rebounds in a game since his brother Dustin pulled in 21 at Mansfield on Dec. 16, 2015.
 
The Sleva brothers are the only two Raiders in the last 25 years to pull down at least 20 rebounds in a game.
 
Dom Sleva's performance Saturday marks the only time in the last 25 years that a Raider has accomplished the feat at home.
 
Recchia's breakout performance included career highs in points (18), assists (5), and three-pointers (3).
 
The Raiders travel to Bloomsburg for a divisional matchup on Wednesday. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.