SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University men's basketball team earned a place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Semifinals for the third consecutive season, and the right to host the conference's Final Four with a quarterfinal victory over the Lock Haven Bald Eagles Wednesday night at Heiges Field House, 75-54.
 
Shippensburg (19-10) was tasked with taking on a Bald Eagle team that they had beaten twice already this season, including a nine-point win in its regular season finale last Saturday. The Raiders' answer the third time around was an emphatic slam dunk, riding a raucous 18-4 first-half run to an 11-point victory.
 
Lock Haven (17-12) was held to 36.1% shooting from the field (22-of-61) and 16.7% from three (3-of-18) by the SU defense. Guard Eli Washington and forward Jalen Gorham led the Bald Eagles with 12 points in the loss.
 
The Raiders were in attack mode early, netting back-to-back dunks from redshirt-senior Rashon Johnson and senior Carlos Carter, which resulted in an 11-6 Ship lead after three and a half minutes of play.
 
Shippensburg continued the offensive onslaught by bombing threes midway through the first half, converting a red-hot 55.6% of their three-point attempts (5-of-9) in the first twenty minutes.
 
Redshirt-sophomore Ty Crespo buried back-to-back triples to kick-start the decisive 18-4 Raider run.
 
Carter added a three, as well as freakishly athletic putback dunk that sent the packed postseason Heiges crowd into hysterics. Graduate Luke Nedrow then dialed up a jumper from distance that gave the Raiders a 16-point edge with 1:45 left before halftime, 39-23.
 
The Bald Eagles were able to cut the Shippensburg lead down to 10 in the second half, 55-45, before the Raiders turned it on down the stretch.
 
Shippensburg, aided by a 13-for-14 performance from the foul line in the second half, was able to stretch the advantage back up to 17 points, and freshman Denzel Figueroa finished off the win in appropriate fashion – with a two-handed throw down with 1:33 left.
 
Carter paced the SU offense with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting. He also contributed seven boards and three assists.
 
Johnson notched his sixth double-double of the season, collecting 15 points and 10 rebounds. Nedrow was the third Raider to reach double-figures, finishing with 14 points and 9 boards.
 
Up next, the Raiders host the Western Division No. 2 seed Mercyhurst Lakers (23-4) in a PSAC Semifinal Saturday. Tip-off from Heiges Field House is set for 3:30 p.m.