The Shippensburg University men's basketball team hung tough against the Millersville Marauders for the first 30 minutes of a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) clash Wednesday, only to be the victims of an offensive explosion by the hosts in the final 10 minutes in an 81-58 loss at Pucillo Gymnasium.
 
The Raiders (7-15, 3-13 PSAC) kept it close in a low-scoring first half and scored the first five points after halftime to take a 32-31 lead with 19 minutes remaining. From that point, the Marauders (17-4, 12-3) outscored the visitors 50-26 the rest of the way to take home the victory.
 
Shippensburg was paced by junior Kyle Whippen's seventh double-double of the season and fifth in his last six games, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
 
A pair of first-half and-1 lay-ups from redshirt-freshman Markus Frank helped the Raiders stay within four points of Millersville at halftime, 31-27.
 
Frank finished with 13 points overall on 5-of-10 shooting (50%) Wednesday.
 
A basket from sophomore Donovan Hill, followed by a three from graduate Andrew Recchia gave the Raiders a quick second-half edge, but the Marauders answered with a 7-0 spurt of their own to take the lead for good, blowing the game wide open with a larger 17-2 burst later in the second half.
 
Millersville finished with five players in double figures, led by 17 points from forward Matt Dade. Guard Jacob Aryee went 3-for-3 from three for 12 points to go along with a game-high five steals. Nine of his points (two three-pointers and a tomahawk dunk) occurred after halftime.
 
Millersville outscored the Raiders 50-31 overall in the second half.
 
Hill and sophomore Timmy Conner scored nine apiece for Shippensburg.
 
Recchia finished with seven points and a team-best four assists.
 
The Raiders return home Saturday afternoon to take on the Golden Bears. Tip-off from Heiges Field House is slated for 3 p.m.