Brody Davis, a freshman from Morgantown, drives around a Gannon University defender, looking for an opening in Butcher Center on Sunday night. David Pennock

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Shepherd University became the host team in the PSAC tournament semifinals and finals, after a spate of upsets changed the event’s probable schedule. The Rams, seeded third in the league’s East Division for the post-season and conference championship, began their race through the field, with a win at the Butcher Center over Shippensburg University. Next came a road win, 79-67, over an East Stroudsburg University team that had two wins over Shepherd in the regular season.

East Stroudsburg entered the tournament with the East Division’s No. 2 seed. Also in a second round game, top-seeded West Chester fell to Millersville, the No. 4 seed. Because the pre-tournament aligning had both the finals and semi-finals to be hosted by the highest remaining seed from the East Division, that role fell to Shepherd.

In the Shepherd-hosted semifinals, the upbeat Rams were able to score a season-high 55 points in the second half alone, to reverse the game’s tempo that saw them fall behind, 39-28, at halftime. The final count was 84-74 after the Rams took their first lead at 43-42, by blistering the Vulcans to open the second half. Shepherd kept scoring well with Marcus Banks (24 points, eight assists and seven rebounds), Carson Poffenberger (18 points and 13 rebounds) and Chase Paar (17 points and eight rebounds) outplaying the visitors.

With just 1:28 remaining, a Vulcan three-pointer chopped the still-burgeoning Shepherd lead to eight points, but California could get no closer, as the Rams and much of the Butcher Center crowd of over 1,000 celebrated the move into the tournament finals.

Shepherd’s exceptional play was highlighted by the team’s low turnover total of only four.

Shepherd University senior Jarod Robinson goes in for a lay up in the conference semifinal on Saturday against the California University of Pennsylvania in the Butcher Center. David Pennock

The victory over California sent the Rams into the conference tournament finals for the first time and elevated their overall record to 21-10.

Gannon, the West Division’s No. 1 seed, also made an extended comeback to overtake Millersville, and then outlast the Marauders, 89-87, in overtime, to also gain a berth in the finals.

In the championship game last Sunday afternoon, Gannon methodically took a 10-point halftime lead (36-26) as Pace Prosser had control enroute to a 29-point, 10 rebound performance. The Golden Knights maintained their lead throughout the second half to post a championship-winning, 74-58, win over the host Rams.

Poffenberger, in the final game of his four-season career, was Shepherd’s statistical leader, with his 18 points and team-high 12 rebounds. Banks had 14 points and Chase Parr 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Following Prosser in the Gannon scoring column were Ernest Shelton, with 14 points, and Justin Debuck, with 14 points.

Gannon University holds on for its life, as Shepherd University graduate student Chase Paar goes after a rebound, during Sunday night's home game. David Pennock

Shepherd held a 42-31 advantage in rebounds and made 15-of-21 free throws.

With its 21-11 overall record, exceeding the 20 wins posted in Namolik’s previous best-win season of 20, Shepherd was in the running for a first-ever bid to the NCAA Division II National Tournament as an at-large team. It seemed that Atlantic Region bid came down to Shepherd or Bluefield State (WV). The NCAA took Bluefield and gave it a No. 8 seed and placed it in a tournament bracket, versus No. 1 seed West Liberty (WV).

The other teams in the Atlantic Region are East Stroudsburg, West Chester, Gannon, Virginia State, Fayetteville State and Fairmont.

Sunday’s announced crowd of 1,209 was the largest at a Shepherd game in many years.

Both tournament dates in the Butcher Center had drawn in excess of 1,000 patrons.

Shepherd University freshman Elwyne Wordlaw shoots over a California University of Pennsylvania defender, during Saturday night's semifinal game in the Butcher Center. David Pennock

Shepherd University sophomore Marcus Banks looks to drive the lane during Saturday's home game against California University of Pennsylvania, where he helped break the California press. David Pennock