SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University men's basketball team dropped a nailbiter in the final seconds against Millersville in a pivotal Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division contest inside Heiges Field House on Wednesday night, 67-63.
 
Shippensburg (16-9, 14-5 PSAC) found itself trailing for nearly all of the first half, only leading for one minute and 44 seconds early in the game.
 
Millersville (17-9, 14-6) surged ahead and was able to outpace the Raiders, holding a lead of at least five points from the 14:43 mark to the end of the half. The Marauders led by as much as 14 during the first 20 minutes of play.
 
SU was held to just 37.04 percent (10-of-27) shooting in the first half, while Millersville shot 51.52 percent (17-of-33) from the floor. The Marauders led 37-26 entering the break.
 
The Raiders turned things around quickly in the second half, as it took Shippensburg just five minutes to explode on a 14-3 run to tie the game, highlighted by a pair of threes from senior Carlos Carter (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) and redshirt-sophomore Andrew Recchia (Mars, Pa./Mars Area).
 
While Millersville was able to regain the lead, SU kept their opponent within two possessions for the remainder of the game.
 
After Carlos Carter drained his third three-pointer of the night at the 5:27 mark, the contest remained a within one possession until the final seconds.
 
Redshirt-senior Rashon Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Simon Gratz (Highland C.C.)) found himself at the charity strip in the dying moments of the game with a chance at taking the lead, down 63-62. After missing the first, Johnson would tie it up on his second shot, giving Millersville the ball with 18 seconds remaining.
 
With just seconds remaining, the Marauders' Jahme Ested would send up a desperation floater that would miss the rim and tipped in by Justin Nwosu, giving Millersville the lead with 1.2 seconds left on the clock.
 
In a last-ditch effort, Graduate Dom Sleva (McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour) heaved a full court pass to Johnson that was picked off by Day Waters and fouled in the process. Waters hit both free throws, giving the Marauders the four-point victory.

Carlos Carter finished the night with 20 points, his fourth-straight game with at least 20 points and eleventh of the season.
 
Despite the loss, Shippensburg remains atop the PSAC East standings, holding a half-game lead over Millersville. West Chester sits in third with a 13-6 record, while East Stroudsburg loss to Kutztown moves them into fourth place. Lock Haven sits just two games back in fifth place as the regular season winds down.
 
The Raiders host Bloomsburg on Saturday for an important contest inside Heiges Field House beginning at 3 p.m.