The Shippensburg University men's basketball team, keyed by a pair of decisive runs in each half, posted an 88-79 road victory at Bowie State on Wednesday night in a non-conference clash at A.C. Jordan Arena.
Shippensburg (5-2) shot better than 50 percent from the field for the third time this season and had five players post double figures. In fact, those five Raiders (three starters, two reserves) combined for all 88 of the team's points.
With 5:44 left in the first half, SU and Bowie were tied, 30-30. Shippensburg promptly embarked upon a 13-0 run over the next 2:55 – a sequence in which the Raiders made all five of their field-goal attempts (including two three-pointers).
It was part of an overall 20-6 run to close the half, as SU led 50-36 at the intermission. The Raiders were 18-of-33 (54.5 percent) from the field in the opening 20 minutes and had recorded 11 assists compared to just three turnovers.
Bowie State (2-6) began its counter with 15 minutes to go. The Bulldogs scored nine straight points and unleashed a 16-4 run that got them within two points of the lead, 63-61, with 10:52 remaining. Bowie began the second half making 8-of-10 from the field.
SU immediately answered with a 13-1 run over the next 3:59 that stretched its lead back to 14 points, 76-62 with 6:25 left. The closest Bowie got to the lead down the stretch was seven points on two occasions, as the Raiders made 7-of-8 at the free-throw line in the final 62 seconds to cement the victory.
Markus Frank posted a team-high 25 points; it was his fourth straight 20-point game and fifth overall this season. Frank was 9-of-16 from the field, 2-of-4 from three-point range and 5-of-8 at the free-throw line while grabbing six rebounds and handing out three assists.
Jaydon Smith came within two points of his career high by finishing with 21 on 9-of-14 shooting (3-of-6 from three-point range). Smith started out strong with eight points in the first four minutes. He added three rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Smith, who surpassed the 20-point mark twice last season as a freshman, has now done so two times in his last three games. He has posted double figures in six of the team's seven games thus far.
Michael Dickson totaled 13 points, four rebounds and three assists – he was 6-of-6 at the free-throw line in the final 62 seconds.
Timmy Conner and
Ben Rill combined for 29 points off the bench. Conner earned a season-high 31 minutes and scored 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting. He made two three-pointers, grabbed three rebounds and totaled a team-high four assists.
Rill posted a career high in points for the second straight game, finishing with 17 on 5-of-10 from the field (1-of-1 from three-point range) and 6-of-9 at the line. He also collected a team-high and career-high eight rebounds in addition to a pair of assists.
In his two games this week, Rill totaled 32 points, 11 rebounds and four assists while shooting 11-of-18 from the field.
Emonte Hill Jr. made the most of his season-high 12 minutes off the bench, recording three assists and two steals. Hill had just one assist and one steal on the season entering Wednesday.
Bowie State got a game-high 29 points from Jaiden McGhee, who was 12-of-18 from the field (3-of-5 from three-point range) and led his team with eight rebounds. KJ West added 21 points, six rebounds and six assists.
SU snapped a two-game losing streak to Bowie State in the overall series. The two teams have now faced off in seven straight seasons, with the Raiders holding a 4-3 overall edge.
Wednesday was the final non-conference game of the season for the Raiders. The remaining 21 contests are all part of the mandated Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) schedule.
SU will now break for final exams and the conclusion of the fall semester. While the PSAC schedule begins Saturday with crossover play, the Raiders will be off, as it one of their three scheduled "bye" dates.
Shippensburg's next game is Tuesday, Dec. 16 at Cal (Pa.).
