College Basketball

CLARION OPENS PSAC-WEST DEFENSE WITH 72-42 WIN OVER SHIPPENSBURG

(CLARION, PA): Clarion opened its PSAC title defense on Wednesday night with a 72-42 win over visiting Shippensburg at Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium.

The Golden Eagles raised their overall record to 5-4 and 1-0 in the PSAC-West. Shippensburg dipped to 6-6 overall and 0-1 in the PSAC-West.

Clarion led by ten points at halftime (33-23). Rollie Smith led the Eagles in scoring in the first half with ten points and Dale Thomas notched 5.

With Clarion leading by 9 points (43-34) with 12:21 left in the game, the Golden Eagles went on an 8-0 run to push the lead to 51-34. Allen Stevens and Steve Serwatka had four points each in the run.

Then with the score 55-39 with 5:20 left, the Eagles put the game away with an 11-0 run paced by two, three-pointers from Rollie Smith. Clarion outscored Shippensburg 39-19 in the second half and 29-8 over the final 12:21. Allen Stevens and Serwatka had 11 points each in the second half to lead the Eagles.

Stevens led the way for Clarion with 19 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals, while Steve Serwatka and Rollie Smith had 16 apiece. Dale Thomas chipped in with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Shippensburg’s top scorers were Andrew Ross, Cheick Coulibaly and Michael Means with 7 each.