SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Mansfield University men's basketball team (3-10, 2-7 PSAC) shot over 50 percent from the floor to build a lead in the first half, but Shippensburg University (9-6, 7-2 PSAC) flipped the script in the second half to secure a 68-61 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) home victory on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 14.

Michael Dickson led the Mountaineers in scoring, finishing 6-of-10 from the floor, totaling 15 points. Idris Ali (13 points) and Saraj Ali (10 points) also scored in double figures, adding five and eight rebounds, respectively.
The opening 10 minutes featured a defensive battle, as neither team could create any separation and the Raiders led 10-7.

S. Ali drilled a trifecta to knot things at 10-10 at the 10:16 mark, setting off an impressive run of Mountaineer offense to close out the first half.

After knocking down all six of his shot attempts off the bench in the Mountaineers' victory over Lock Haven on Wednesday, Dickson picked off right where he left off, hitting all four of his attempts in the first half to lead all scorers with nine points to help MU build a 30-23 lead with 1:36 remaining.

The Raiders trimmed their deficit to three with 20 seconds to go, but S. Ali tipped in a missed shot at the buzzer to extend the Mounties' lead to 33-28 heading into the break. Manir Waller crucial for the Mounties early and knocked down 2-of-3 shots from deep to finish with eight points in the half.

The Mounties shot over 50 percent from the field and a scorching 55 percent from behind the arch in the first half while holding Shippensburg to 35 percent shooting, including a cold 17 percent from deep.

In the second half, Shippensburg didn't wait long to take back the momentum, scoring the first five points to knot the score at 35-33 with 17:45 to go.

S. Ali converted a 3-point play the old-fashioned way on the next possession to spark a 7-0 Mountaineer run to put MU up, 40-35 with 15:55 to go.

However, the Raiders caught fire from downtown, drilling six trifectas over the next 11 minutes to build a 61-48 lead and start to pull away with 4:24 to go.

The Mounties cut the Raiders' lead to single digits two more times over the final four minutes before getting as close as five, 66-61, with nine seconds to go, but the clock was no longer on their side and Shippensburg closed out the victory.

Long-range shooting proved to be the difference in the Raiders' come-from-behind victory as they knocked down seven shots from deep while the Mounties finished 0-of-8 in the second half.

Carlos Carter led four Raiders in double figures with 19 points (7-of-12) and five rebounds. Dom Sleva finished with a game-high 20 rebounds.

The Mansfield University Department of Athletics is set to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a Day of Service and in celebration of Dr. King's legacy, the Mounties will host a 2023 Community Night Event at the home basketball doubleheader with Kutztown University on Wednesday, Jan. 18. Admission will be FREE for all.