Boxscore
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. -- Senior forward
Denell Stephens recorded game-high totals of 18 points and 12 rebounds Sunday afternoon but could not lead The Rock to victory in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference "crossover" action at Shippensburg.
The hosts escaped with a 70-69 win when a potential game-winning layup by Stephens (pictured above) just prior to the final buzzer failed to fall.
The loss was The Rock's second in as many days and third in the last four outings after a season-opening seven-game win streak.
The win improved Shippensburg's season record to 8-3.
Senior point guard
Kyle Camper chipped in 13 points, nine assists and two steals to complement Stephens' effort, while senior wing player
Jamar Scales added 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Sophomore forward
Maron Brown grabbed seven rebounds and junior post player
Gary Satterwhite had five caroms for The Rock, who return to action next Saturday (Jan. 10) with a 3 p.m. home PSAC "crossover" game vs. Millersville in Morrow Field House.
The Rock finished Sunday's game with a 37.9% (25 of 66) efficiency on its field goal attempts, shot 25% (6 of 25) from 3-point range and sank 68.4% (13 of 19) of its free throw attempts.
Shippensburg, meanwhile, shot 40.3% (25 of 62) from the field, 21.4% (3 of 14) from 3-point range and 65.4% (17 of 26) at the foul line. The Raiders also held a 45-43 edge in rebounds and were on the short end of a 21-19 turnover comparison.
SRU never led in the first half of action, but did tie the score at 2-2 early on and trailed by only two points, 27-25, at halftime.
The Rock took its first lead of the game with 18:15 left to play when Stephens scored on a slam dunk off an assist from Camper.
SRU's largest lead was a four-point, 62-58, advantage with 4:20 left to play.
The score was tied six times and traded hands 15 times during the course of the game.
After hosting Millersville in the Jan. 10 game, The Rock turns around to entertain West Chester in a 3 p.m. "crossover" game the following day.
That will conclude The Rock's conference-mandated schedule vs. PSAC-Eastern Division teams and set the stage for 14 successive PSAC-Western Division contests to close out the regular-season schedule.
