SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University men's basketball team came up short in a spirited Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opener against IUP, 96-84, on Friday night at Heiges Field House.
 
Shippensburg (3-2, 0-1 PSAC) got a historic performance from redshirt-freshman Markus Frank, who exploded offensively with a new career high of 40 points on 14-of-21 shooting and 10-of-15 at the free-throw line.
 
It's the first 40-point game by a Raider in 28 years; Kevin Lee scored 44 points in a 97-93 triple-overtime win over Pitt-Johnstown on Nov. 27, 1995. It's the first 40-point game in regulation by a Raider in 37 years; Parrish Petry scored 44 in a 100-60 win over Pitt-Johnstown on Feb. 13, 1986. Frank also marked personals highs with nine rebounds and two steals and matched his single-game high of 10 free throws.
 
Junior Michael Dunn doubled his previous career high in scoring with 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting and a blistering 6-of-9 from behind the arc. Dunn doubled his previous single-game high for three-pointers with his six on Friday night. It's also the second straight game he has achieved a new career high in scoring, as he entered the night coming off a 12-point performance at Chestnut Hill.
 
Junior Satchel Ball was another spark off the bench for the Raiders, scoring four points (including a one-handed dunk in transition), grabbing four rebounds and recording a career-high four assists. Ball was also a team-best +12 in the plus/minus statistic while he was on the floor.  
 
Shippensburg shot 53.8 percent from the field – its best single-game rate since the 2022 PSAC Quarterfinals (an 86-74 win at East Stroudsburg), including 45 percent (9-of-20) from behind the arc. The Raiders also went 19-of-27 at the free throw line.
 
IUP (3-3, 1-0) led wire-to-wire and scored 60 points in the paint, 24 second-chance points, 25 points off turnovers. The Crimson Hawks recorded 25 offensive rebounds and attempted 31 more shots (83-52) than Shippensburg while having all five starters finish in double figures.
 
The visitors raced out to a 12-0 lead just 3:05 into the contest before Frank got the Raiders on the board with a tough basket. IUP stretched its lead to 18-2 before SU found some offensive momentum with an and-one by sophomore Trey Martin and five quick points by Dunn from a three and a basket to cut the deficit to 18-10. Two more threes from Dunn got the Raiders within six points at the midway point of the half.
 
IUP stretched its lead to 13 points with 5:48 remaining in the half. SU chipped away at the lead to bring the score within eight, but a three just before the buzzer gave IUP a 52-41 lead at the half. Dunn was 4-of-5 from three-point range in the first half, as both he and Frank led all scorers with 16 points each at the intermission.
 
Shippensburg started the second half with a 7-0 run to quickly cut the deficit to four points. Frank kicked off the scoring with a three-pointer and a layup, and junior Kyle Whippen added two more with a finish at the rim.
 
A 6-0 answer from IUP restored its double-digit lead back to 62-49 with 15:28 left. The Crimson Hawks kept advancing the lead, leading by as many as 17 points (82-65) with 8:03 on the clock. Two more threes from Dunn got the Raiders back within 10 points, but SU could only get within nine points down the stretch.
 
Sophomore Denzel Figueroa returned to action for the Raiders and finished with four points and six rebounds.
 
IUP got 21 points, six rebounds, seven rebounds and four steals from point guard Garvin Clarke. Crimson Hawk mainstay Ethan Porterfield added 21 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Dallis Dillard had a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds to go along with two assists. Neither Porterfield nor Dillard committed a turnover, as the visitors only had nine as a team.
 
SU hosts Seton Hill at 3 p.m. tomorrow at Heiges Field House.