Box Score

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.V. - AJ Carr hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 22 seconds left, lifting Shepherd to a 72-69 win over East Stroudsburg University in the non-conference men's basketball opener for both schools on Friday night at the Butcher Center.

ESU (0-1) led 43-35 at halftime, but had a 10-point lead erased with a 14-2 Shepherd (1-0) run before going back in front, 69-68, on a three-point play by junior forward Ralik Wise with 46 seconds left.

Carr (14 points) hit the big shot for Shepherd, and Gavin McTavish (13 points) made one-of-two at the foul line with nine seconds left after an ESU turnover.

The Warriors' game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer wouldn't go as Shepherd held on.

Senior forward Rasheed Moore had 11 points and nine rebounds and redshirt sophomore forward Chris Bing had 11 points and eight rebounds to lead ESU.

Bing's totals were both career-highs as he helped the Warriors stem the loss of senior forward Steve Harris, who averaged 9.5 points and 8.3 rebounds as a junior but missed the opener due to injury.

ESU opened 6-for-7 from the three-point line and led 22-10 at the 13-minute mark of the first half.

Junior guard Ryan Krawczeniuk scored nine points, sophomore guard Kitt Najee Walls had eight points and five assists, and Wise (7 points, 8 rebounds), redshirt senior guard Quindell Brice and redshirt sophomore forward Josh Williams had seven points each. Sophomore guard Nick Giordano added six points and five assists.

Wise and Williams, a transfer from Rider, both made their ESU debuts.

Steffen Davis scored 16 points to lead Shepherd, followed by Carr with 14, McTavish with 13 and Winston Burgess with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Naim Muhammad had nine points and 11 assists.

Shepherd shot 44.8 percent from the field and 6-for-17 from the three-point line, while ESU was 38.6 percent from the field and 9-for-26 from long distance.

Shepherd had a +5 margin in turnover differential (15-10) after ESU entered as the NCAA Division II leader (+5.30) over the last four years.

After Davis gave Shepherd its first lead of the game (62-60) at the 4:34 mark, capping a 14-2 stretch, Brice tied it at 62-62 and Bing had a putback for a 64-64 score with 2:46 left.

Muhammad gave the Rams a two-point lead, with Brice answering with a pair of free throws for a 66-66 tie at the 2:25 mark.

Davis broke the tie to give Shepherd a 68-66 edge with 1:04 left, leading to Wise's go-ahead three-point play for the Warriors before the closing finish for Shepherd.

ESU takes on No. 7-ranked Wheeling Jesuit (1-0) on Saturday at 5 p.m. WJU posted a 71-53 win over Slippery Rock in Friday's first game and was 28-4 last season, earning the Atlantic Region's top seed before falling to Mercyhurst in the first round last March.