MANSFIELD, Pa. – The Mansfield Mountaineers men's basketball team completed the season sweep in their Valentine's Day matchup with Shippensburg after their Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division victory on Wednesday night, defeating the Raiders (8-16, 4-14 PSAC East) by a score of 102-85. 

With this win, the Mounties complete their first season sweep against Shippensburg since 2013-14 after completing a 17-point overtime comeback victory earlier in the season. 

This was the first time the Mounties had reached the century mark since February 12, 2022, when they scored 106 against Millersville.  

Five players landed in double figures, the first occasion since the 94-52 victory over Penn State Schuylkill earlier this season. Saraj Ali led the team with 18 points, Michael Dickson held 17 points, Manir Waller logged 16 points, Scott Woodring posted 14 points, and Ty Barrett scored 12 points. 

After a 9-3 start for the Raiders, Mansfield (7-16, 5-13 PSAC East) pushed out a 10-0 run in just 1:12 for the four-point lead, with Dickson already holding seven points at this point. 

Back and forth kept the game close with the Mounties edging the 18-17 lead, until another quick eight points in two minutes gave The Field the 27-19 advantage. Two straight buckets from Waller brought Mansfield the first double-digit lead at 31-21. 

The Raiders responded to limit the damage to 36-33 with just five minutes remaining in the first half.  

Mansfield got the crowd out of their seats with an emphatic run to head into the locker rooms, holding the 48-38 halftime lead after Waller sent home a three-pointer with five seconds remaining.  

Dickson and Waller both led the Mounties in double figures, with the team posting a 60% (6-10) from beyond the arc, and 59.4% (19-32) from the field in the first half. 

A single-digit game never appeared on the scoreboard again, as Mansfield broke out to a 56-40 lead to start the half and kept the shooting at a high percentage. Ali scored six points in a minute, pushing his total to 17 points after the basket to make the score 62-46. 

Behind two straight makes from Waller, the Mounties broke out to their first 20-point lead at the 11:15 mark, holding the 73-53 edge. 

This was a part of a 21-4 that The Field put together in the next seven minutes, including five by Barrett, and four from Woodring and Diarmid Stewart, that brought the Mounties the 86-55 stronghold. 

Shippensburg put down four three-pointers in the next two minutes, but in would not make a dent into the final score as the Mounties earned their 102-85 victory, ending the seven-game losing streak from their dominance from beyond the arc, shooting 50% (13-26), their most three-pointers since 2019. 

UP NEXT: 
The Mounties will continue their playoff push on Saturday, February 17 at Millersville. Tip-off of this Eastern Division battle is scheduled for 3 p.m.