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SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University men's basketball gave 14th-ranked Shippensburg University everything it could handle on Friday night but the Huskies' upset bid fell short, 79-75, at Heiges Field House. Bloomsburg had its three-game winning streak snapped as it fell to 6-6 overall and 2-6 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division. The Raiders, meanwhile, improved to 12-0 overall and 8-0 in league play.

Junior Carnell McGirt (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic (Valley Forge Military Academy)) had a monster effort for the Huskies as he scored a career-high 26 points in just 23 minutes off the bench. It was the first time in a Bloomsburg uniform that McGirt scored at least 20 points. He was 9-of-13 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free throw line while also grabbing six rebounds and posting two blocked shots.

Senior Yahmir Greenlee (Philadelphia, Pa./Boys Latin) added a career-high 19 points while redshirt junior Christian Mortellite (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) chipped in with 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds in the setback.

It seemed like Shippensburg was going to cruise to its 12th consecutive victory to open the season as the Raiders built up a 31-16 lead with 4:20 left in the opening half. However, Dustin Sleva's three-pointer that gave Shippensburg its 15-point advantage proved to be the final points the Raiders would score in the first half as the Huskies went on a tear and closed out the half on a 13-0 run to cut the lead to 31-29 at the break.

Junior Kyle-Michael Rose (Middletown, Del./Sanford School (Highland CC)) scored the Huskies' first four points during the run and McGirt added the next four points to trim the lead to 31-24 with 1:43 remaining in the half. A Greenlee layup and a Mortellite three-pointer with under ten seconds left cut the lead to two as the teams headed to their respective locker rooms.

Mortellite gave the Huskies a 32-31 advantage with a three-pointer to start the second half. However, Shippensburg's Abe Massaley gave the Raiders the lead back, 33-32, with a layup 16 seconds later. The basket started an 8-0 run for Shippensburg that pushed its lead to 39-32 with 17:27 left in regulation.

Shippensburg got the lead back up to as many as ten points, 53-43, with 12:01 remaining before the Huskies clawed their way back into the game. Junior Alex Prislupsky (Olyphant, Pa./Mid-Valley) nailed a three-pointer to cut the lead to seven with 11:06 left and McGirt converted an and-one with 9:42 remaining to trim the lead to 53-49.

The Raiders built the lead back up to eight, 59-51, with 7:22 left before the Huskies responded again. Bloomsburg scored nine of the game's next 11 points to cut the lead to one, 61-60, with 5:29 left. But, time-and-time again, Bloomsburg could not get over the hump. Four times the Huskies got within one - and four times Shippensburg would score on its next possession to give itself some breathing room.

Bloomsburg had some chances during the last two minutes thanks to some unusual struggles from the line by Shippensburg. However, the Huskies could never regain the lead. Shippensburg led 77-74 with five seconds left after a pair of missed free throws from Sleva. The Raiders fouled Mortellite as he sprinted up the floor looking to tie. Mortellite nailed the first but missed the second on purpose. However, Shippensburg's Manny Span pulled down the rebounds and hit two foul shots at the other end to ice the game.

Sleva paced Shippensburg with 19 points,15 rebounds, and five assists. He led four Raiders in double figures. 

Bloomsburg will return to action on Monday, January 9, when it hosts Edinboro University at Nelson Field House. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.