After never trailing in regulation, the Shippensburg University men's basketball team found themselves down as many as six points in overtime, but managed to rally late as they survived a strong upset bid from the Mansfield Mountaineers in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) competition Saturday on the road, 80-79.
 
Shippensburg (16-8, 14-4 PSAC) graduate Dom Sleva converted a putback attempt inside the final 20-seconds of overtime for the game-winning basket, capping a 19-point and 20-rebound performance. Senior Carlos Carter led the Raiders in scoring with 22 points in the victory.
 
Mansfield (5-18, 4-15 PSAC) had a chance at a potential game-winning basket both at the end of regulation and in overtime, but could not come through. Mountaineer guard Idris Ali finished with 23 points, six rebounds and two assists.
 
The Raiders began the game on a 13-2 run fueled by triples from Carter, redshirt-sophomore Andrew Recchia and Sleva. SU led by as many as 14 points in the opening 20 minutes, ultimately taking a five-point advantage into the locker room at halftime, 38-33.
 
Things began to get nervy for Shippensburg after a poor stretch with five minutes remaining in the second half.
 
A cold stretch offensively, combined with three Mansfield three-point makes in a little over thirty seconds of game time shrunk a comfortable eight-point Ship lead down to just a single point with 3:32 left in regulation.
 
Mansfield tied the score at 66-66 inside three minutes. Carter responded with a clutch and-one layup, only for Ali to drain a three that eventually sent the game into overtime.
 
The Mountaineers took their first lead of the game in overtime, scoring the first six points of the extra session.
 
Shippensburg, despite not playing their best down the stretch, showed tremendous grit and determination to fight its way back.
 
A foul-line jumper from sophomore Satchel Ball gave the visitors their first lead of the extra session, and Sleva's putback gave them the lead for good just over a minute later.
 
With the final seconds ticking away and the Mountaineers down one, Ali dribbled into a Ship triple team consisting of Sleva, redshirt-senior Rashon Johnson and graduate Luke Nedrow. The SU trio forced Ali into a difficult shot that clanged off the iron, and the Raiders escaped with the road victory.
 
Sleva, Carter and Johnson each logged more than 40 minutes for Shippensburg. Johnson played the full 45 minutes and notched his fourth double-double of the season, posting 13 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists.
 
Sleva's 20 boards ties his career-high, which he set in the Raiders' previous meeting against Mansfield back on Jan. 14. He and his older brother, Dustin, are the only two Raiders in the last 25 years to pull down 20 rebounds in a game. Dustin pulled in 21 at Mansfield on Dec. 16, 2015.
 
Shippensburg returns to Heiges Field House to take on the Millersville Marauders Wednesday at 8 p.m.