MANSFIELD, Pa. – The Salem University men's basketball team dropped a close battle to Mansfield 83-78, Wednesday night. 
 
The loss drops Salem to 5-2, while Mansfield improves to 1-3.
 
Mansfield controlled the points in the paint (28-20) and points off turnovers (19-8). 
 
Salem shot 48.4 percent (30-62), while Mansfield was 48.3 percent from the field (29-60). 
 
Mansfield outshot the Tigers from the three-point line as Mansfield was 14-31 (45.2%), while Salem was 12-33 (36.4 %). 
 
The Tigers were led by senior Kanayo Obi-Rapu as he netted 21 points, grabbed four rebounds, dished out five assists and had three steals.
 
Three other Tigers were in double figures as sophomore Shawn Christian had 16 points, senior Malik Toppin generated 15 points and nine rebounds, while senior Christopher Shields garnered 13 points. 
 
In the first half, Mansfield jumped out on Salem 7-0 with 17:38 left in the first half and extended the lead over Salem 12-2 with 16:37 left. 
 
The Tigers cut the lead to one, 14-13, after back-to-back threes from junior Malique Ross and Obi-Rapu at 14:09 in the first half. 
 
The Tigers took the lead at 12:59 in the first half after a Shields's three, but Mansfield answered with its own three-pointer to take a 20-18 lead. 
 
A layup from Toppin with 32 seconds left in the first half gave the Tigers a 37-36 heading into intermission. 
 
In the second half, the Tigers found themselves down by 16 (64-51) with 8:57 left in the contest. 
 
Salem chipped back into the Mansfield lead and trailed by just one (76-75) after a three from Obi-Rapu with 3:09 left in the game.
 
Down 78-77 the Tigers turned the ball over with 41 seconds left in the game, as Mansfield connected on a few free throws to secure the win.
 
The Tigers are back in action Saturday as they host Carlow (Pa.) at 2:00 p.m.