URBANA, Ohio  –  Senior guard Derek McKnight (Teaneck, N.J./Gaston (N.C.) Day School/Louisburg CC) and junior guard Thomas Lang (New Market, Md./Linganore) each scored 16 points to lead Shepherd University (11-11, 7-9 MEC) to a 68-58 win over Urbana University (5-15, 3-13 MEC) in MEC men's basketball action at Urbana on Saturday. Shepherd snapped a five-game losing skid with the victory.

Lang hit on 6-of-11 field goals with a 3-of-6 performance from three-point range. He sank 1-of-1 free throws. McKnight connected on 6-of-14 field goals with a 4-of-6 effort from the foul line.

Freshman guard Jon Preston (Brandywine, Md./Rock Creek Christian) added nine points and grabbed a game and career-high 16 rebounds. Preston's 16 rebounds are the most by a Ram this season.

Jordan Bradley scored 12 points to lead the Blue Knights. Malik Jacobs added eight points and eight rebounds.

Shepherd had a 34-26 lead at halftime with Lang (9), McKnight (8), and senior guard Devin Smith Baltimore, Md./Randallstown/Richard Bland CC) (7) combining for 24 first-half points.

The Rams led by as many as 19 points in the second half. Urbana rallied to within nine points at 58-49 after a layup by Datrey Long with 4:41 left. Shepherd closed the game on a 10-9 run to gain the double digit win.

Shepherd connected on 44.3 percent (27-61) from the floor with a 21.7 percent (5-23) performance from beyond the arc for the game. The Rams hit on 60 percent (9-15) of their free throws.

Urbana shot 32.8 percent (21-64) from the floor with a 23.3 percent effort (7-30) from three-point range. The Blue Knights shot 90 percent (9-10) from the charity stripe.

Shepherd had a 43-37 advantage on the boards. The Rams forced 11 turnovers and committed 10.

The Rams return to action on Thursday when they host Concord at 7:30 p.m.