The Shippensburg University men's basketball team was defeated in its season opener at Frostburg State on Saturday evening, dropping a 74-68 decision at a Conference Challenge tournament hosted by the Bobcats.
 
Shippensburg (0-1) raced out to an 8-0 lead in the opening three minutes and held a 20-9 lead midway through the first half before Frostburg State (1-0) stormed back in the final eight minutes of the frame. A 16-2 Bobcat run gave the hosts a six-point lead that eventually became a five-point advantage at halftime, 38-33.
 
The Raiders battled back to tie the score at 51-51 with 10:45 remaining, but Frostburg countered and led by as many 12 points in the final 90 seconds.
 
Junior Donovan Hill was one of three Raiders in double figures, leading the team with 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Hill added seven rebounds. Fellow junior Timmy Conner ran the point and finished with 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting.
 
Off the bench, junior Denzel Figueroa contributed a double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes of action.
 
Junior guard Michael Dickson, in his first game as a Raider, delivered nine points, nine rebounds and five assists. Redshirt-sophomore Markus Frank was held to eight points and had seven rebounds. Junior Trey Martin scored six points and grabbed three rebounds.
 
Frostburg had a 23-2 edge in points off turnovers. The Bobcats got a game-high 19 points from Koby Baptiste, who also added eight rebounds and five assists. Manok Lual had a double-double of 11 points and 10 boards. JayShaun Freeman had 15 points and was 4-of-7 from three-point range.
 
SU shot 45 percent from the field but was 11-of-22 (50 percent) from the free-throw line. Frostburg was held to 34 percent shooting but attempted 20 more field goals than the Raiders.
 
Shippensburg will face Salem at 1 p.m. Sunday at Frostburg State.