KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Shippensburg University men's basketball team won on a late game-winning bucket by junior
Abe Massaley for a second straight game as it topped Kutztown, 74-72, in a PSAC Quarterfinal matchup at Keystone Arena in Kutztown.
Shippensburg (20-8) led by seven points with 1:24 to go, but a 7-0 run by Kutztown tied the game with 29 seconds remaining. The Raiders wound down the game clock almost entirely before Massaley pulled up for a stepback jumper from the top of the key that went down with 1.5 seconds remaining. Kutztown's halfcourt heave grazed the right side of the rim and bounced away.
For the first time since the 2005-06 season, the Raiders are headed to the PSAC Semifinals.
"I couldn't be more proud of this group. I'm so happy for them as a whole," Raider head coach
Chris Fite said. "Especially the seniors, those guys have been through a lot in their four years with the coaching change and the rough first year that we had. It's tremendous for them to be able to have a little bit of success and this type of experience."
Shippensburg will take on PSAC West No. 2 seed, Mercyhurst, Saturday in the PSAC Semifinals at West Chester. SU won the first matchup between the two teams on Nov. 21, 74-68 in Erie.
Massaley, who won Saturday's PSAC First Round matchup on a layup with 0.8 seconds remaining, finished with 16 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Sophomore
Justin McCarthur had another incredible game, scoring a career-high 25 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists. McCarthur buried five three-pointers, and made all six of his free-throw attempts.
McCarthur was key in both halves for SU as the Raiders struggled with foul trouble. The sophomore scored 13 points in the opening 20 minutes and 12 points after halftime.
SU leading scorer, sophomore
Dustin Sleva, was able to play just nine minutes in the first half and only 23 overall in the game. Sleva picked up his second foul with 10:53 left in the first half and did not return until after halftime. Massaley, meanwhile, was on the court for just eight minutes in the first half.
In the second half, Sleva was called for his fourth foul with 7:50 remaining, exiling him to the bench until the 3:56 mark. Despite limited time on the court, Sleva finished with 12 points and five rebounds.
With Sleva back in the game, the Raiders were able to take their largest lead, at 70-63, with 1:31 remaining when senior
Tony Ellis completed a timely three-point play.
Kutztown responded with a quick layup, and Massaley followed with a pair of foul shots. However, Kutztown then made a three-pointer, and after an SU turnover, a Golden Bear layup cut the Raider lead to two. An offensive foul by the Raiders on the ensuing possession prevented SU from putting the game away, and Kutztown's Ryan Connolly was fouled with 29 seconds left.
The KU swingman made both to tie the game, setting the stage for Massaley.
"I don't know, for some reason I just don't feel pressure," Massaley said. "Any time I shoot, I think it's going in. My guys and Coach Fite trust me all the way, so they just put the ball in my hands and let me go."
Ellis was key again for the Raiders, totaling 11 points, nine rebounds while setting a new career high with four blocks. Senior
David Craig played a season-high 26 minutes off the SU bench, scoring six points and grabbing four rebounds while providing solid defense.
The 20 wins by SU this season ties for the second-most by a Raider team in school history.
"It's been a tremendous achievement so far," Fite said. "But like I said a couple days ago, we're not done yet."
Shippensburg's semifinal game against Mercyhurst on Saturday at West Chester will begin at 1 p.m. If the Raiders win Saturday, they will play the winner of IUP and West Chester on Sunday afternoon.
