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BLOOMSBURG—Bloomsburg University placed three players in double figures, with two of them recording a double-double, in its 81-70 win over Shippensburg University on Wednesday night in a PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) Eastern Division matchup.
 
The game was tight between the two teams that came into the contest separated by just one game in the standings with the Raiders (12-6, 9-5 PSAC East) biggest lead of six points coming early in the contest, while the Huskies (11-7, 9-5 PSAC East) biggest lead of 11 points was their margin of victory.
 
Shippensburg got out quickly in the game holding an early 7-1 lead just 2:40 into play. The Raiders held on to an advantage of three to five points through the opening 10 minutes of play before Bloomsburg tied the game at 18-18 on a bucket by Charles Haigler (Charles Town, WV/Hargrave Military Academy) and a one of two free throws from Malik Garner (Philadelphia/Chestnut Hill Academy).
 
The visitors quickly regained a modest three-point lead on a free throw and a layup. Bloomsburg though came back and took its first lead of the game on a pair of free throws from Kyle-Michael Rose (Middletown, DE/Sanford School) and a Garner jumper in the lane giving the Huskies a 22-21 lead with 5:24 to play in the half.
 
Down the closing stretch of the opening 20 minutes the teams were tied twice and traded leads five times before the Huskies went to the locker room holding a 35-34 edge after a layup from Christian Mortellite (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) with 38 seconds to go.
 
The Huskies began the second half with Donell Diggs (Washington, D.C./Takoma Academy) hitting a jumper and Mortellite nailing a 3-pointer to make it a six-point game at 40-34 with 18:12 to play. Bloomsburg pushed the margin to nine points a few minutes later when Wes Lyons (Millville/Millville) powered his way in for a bucket and Mortellite hit a free throw making it 45-36 with 16:32 remaining.
 
The lead for the Huskies remained between four and seven points over the next 10 minutes of action. With the Huskies up 67-61 on a Mortellite layup, Shippensburg trimmed the deficit to two points, 67-65, with a mini 4-0 run with 3:36 to go. Haigler, though, came down and scored inside and Mortellite hit one of two from the line for a five-point advantage at 70-65 with 2:38 to play.
 
A traditional 3-point play by Shippensburg's Dustin Sleva made it a two-point game again with 2:25 left, but that's as close as the Raiders would come. Bloomsburg finished strong down the stretch outscoring Shippensburg 8-2 to close out the game and win by 11.
 
Mortellite nailed a 3-pointer for a five-point lead with both Diggs and Wes Lyons (Millville/Millville) hitting one of two from the free throw line to make it 75-68. Mortellite and Alex Prislupsky (Olyphant/Mid-Valley) combined to go six for six in the final minute from the charity stripe as it pulled away for the victory.
 
Mortellite finished with his first-ever career double-double getting 20 points and 12 rebounds. His 20-point game was also the 10^th time he has scored 20 or more in a game this season. Garner also had a double-double scoring 13 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, while Rose finished with 14 points, seven boards and three blocked shots.
 
Shippensburg got 19 points and 17 rebounds from Dustin Sleva, while Abe Massaley scored 12 points with Clay Conner and Antonio Kellem netting 10 points each.
 
Bloomsburg will visit East Stroudsburg on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.