Box Score

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Jake Biss netted a career-high 30 points, and No. 25 Shippensburg held off a late charge from East Stroudsburg University to pull out a 76-70 victory on Saturday afternoon.

The Warriors (9-4, 6-1 PSAC) suffered their first conference loss of the season; they are now tied for first place in the East division standings with the Raiders (12-3, 6-1 PSAC).

Junior Montrel Morgan scored a career-best 15 points for ESU, hitting 5 of 6 shots from the field and 4 of 5 free throw attempts. Redshirt senior Josh Williams totaled 15 points and 11 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season, while senior Nick Giordano and freshman Ryan Smith added 12 points apiece.

Today's contest matched up the past two PSAC champions, with Shippensburg topping the conference in 2017 while ESU claimed its third title in seven seasons last winter. It was also a rematch of last season's Division II Atlantic Region championship, which ESU won by an 84-72 final to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history.

A 3-pointer by Biss, who finished well ahead of his previous career-high scoring effort of 18 points, gave the Raiders a 64-54 lead with 6:47 remaining in regulation. Biss hit 13 of 23 field goal attempts and 3 of 4 shots from 3-point range.

The Warriors, though, stormed back with a 10-0 run to tie the game. Redshirt freshman Mike Millsip sank a jump shot, Giordano and Morgan hit back-to-back 3-pointers, and Williams capped the stretch on a dunk with 4:56 left in the second half.

John Castello answered with a 3-pointer on the other end, and Shippensburg ultimately stayed in front the rest of the way. Trailing 72-70 with under 30 seconds remaining, ESU missed a jumper on the right side, and Shippensburg's Antonio Kellem followed with a pair of free throws to make it a two-possession game.

Today's loss snapped a program-record 19-game winning streak for ESU against PSAC opponents. The Warriors had not lost to a conference school since dropping an 89-64 decision at Shippensburg on Jan. 31 last season.

The teams went back-and-forth throughout, with a total of six ties and 11 lead changes. The Raiders had a 47-41 advantage in the second half after the sides were tied 29-29 at the intermission.

Morgan's previous career-best scoring effort was a 12-point total against Gannon on Dec. 9 last season. He has reached double figures in three of ESU's last four contests, hitting 56 percent (14 for 25) of his field goal attempts during that span.

Williams now has double-doubles in four of ESU's last six games, and he has scored 10+ points in 10 of 12 appearances on the year.

The Warriors return to Koehler Fieldhouse for the first time since Dec. 3 on Wednesday, when they host Lock Haven in a PSAC East matchup beginning at 8 p.m.