Millersville has won their 9th game in a row and now occupy first place in the PSAC East league.

Every half-court possession was a war, but Millersville’s Justin Nwosu, who totaled 14 points and 12 rebounds, hit the tie-breaking basket with 1:09 left and then sank two game-clinching free throws in the final seconds to give Millersville a hard-fought 55-51 victory over Shippensburg Wednesday night.

With just over a minute remaining and the game tied 51-51, Millersville’s Khari Williams drove to his left and kicked a pass to an open Nwosu, a step inside the 3-point arc. With a smooth catch-and-shoot, Nwosu broke the tie. Then, it was all up to Millersville’s defense, which had been stellar all game. The Marauders forced Shippensburg to miss two contested shots and then caused two turnovers in the final minute.

The game was exactly what should have been expected between two of the PSAC’s top-ranked defensive teams. James Sullivan chased Shippensburg’s former PSAC East Athlete of the Year Jake Biss all game and limited him to five points on 2-of-8 shooting–Biss’ lowest point total of the season. Sullivan finished with 14 points on 7-of-16 shooting with five rebounds and two steals. The Marauders, the No. 1 3-point shooting defense in the PSAC, limited Shippensburg’s interior opportunities and forced the Raiders’ bigs behind the 3-point line. The strategy worked as the Raiders made just 5-of-27 3-pointers. Millersville fared no better from three, but attempted just 10, making one.

The win was Millersville’s first inside Heiges Fieldhouse since 2015 and ended the Raiders’ seven game winning streak in the series. The Marauders have now won five-straight road games for the first time since 2006-07 and nine-straight PSAC games for the first time since 1993.