Gallery: (11-10-2023) 2023 Women's Basketball vs. Fayetteville
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's basketball team opened its 2023-24 campaign with a home loss to 68–62 to Fayetteville State in an action-packed game as a part of the Conference Challenge at Heiges Field House.
Shippensburg (0-1) trailed by eight points with six minutes remaining but got within two points of Fayetteville State (1-0) at the 3:06 mark on a three-pointer by graduate
Treasure George – one of a career high five she made in the game, and one of three in the fourth quarter. George led all scorers in the game with 21 points. This was her second game in her career eclipsing the 20-point mark.
Junior
Taja Colbert added a career-high six rebounds to go along with a 14-point effort on the night. Junior
Abbie Miller also posted double figures with 10 points to go along with a team-high nine rebounds.
As a team, the Raiders shot 43.8 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from behind the arc. The Broncos won the turnover battle, turning 29 SU turnovers into 29 points. The Raiders scored eight points from 16 FSU turnovers.
It was a fast-paced first quarter with six different lead changes as the Broncos finished the period leading 19–16. The Raiders scored quickly off a turnover to open the scoring, but Fayetteville State responded with the next five points. Both teams traded leads midway through the quarter until FSU took a 17–11 lead after an 8–0 scoring run. Miller responded with a big three at the other end to stop the run and cut the six-point deficit in half.
Shippensburg had a strong second quarter, maintaining its offensive momentum from the first and allowing just nine points defensively. FSU scored the first basket to extend its lead to 22–17 before Colbert erased the deficit with a 5–0 scoring run herself. Down 25–22, George knocked down free throws to start a 10–0 run to take a 32–25 lead. A three by FSU's Ashara Hayes ended nearly a four-minute scoring drought to make the score 32–28 heading to halftime.
The Broncos opened the third quarter with the first six points to reclaim the lead. Shippensburg was held to just two points by the five-minute mark as the Broncos got out to a 45–34 lead. George hit the first field goals of the half for the Raiders, cutting the deficit to six with a jumper and a three-pointer to give the Raiders some momentum. The Broncos were held to four points over the final four minutes of the period as the Raiders made it a 49–44 game heading into the fourth quarter.
Both teams traded baskets to open the final quarter. FSU held and eight-point advantage until George hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to 55–50 with. George hit another big three to cut the lead to two with 3:06 remaining, but Keayna Mclaughlin answered immediately at the other end. With 1:20 remaining, George sunk her fifth three of the game to bring the Raiders back within two.
With a chance for Shippensburg to tie or take the lead, the Broncos made a defensive stand and were able to head to line to close the game out with free throws.
SU continues play in the Conference Challenge at 7 p.m. tomorrow against Bowie State at Heiges Field House.
