The IUP men’s basketball team found a way to win its 16th straight game despite not playing its best and advanced to Tuesday night’s NCAA Atlantic Regional Championship game with a down-to-the-wire 58-55 victory over Mercyhurst.
The Crimson Hawks fired out of the gate, building a quick 13-1 lead with 13:22 to go in the opening half. Mercyhurst did not convert its first field goal until 12:38 of the first half although the Lakers would trail just 30-22 at the half.
The Lakers started the second half slowly as well, as the IUP lead ballooned to 14 with 16:29 to go in the game. Mercyhurst would go on a 9-0 run to make it a one-point game. The Hawks then responded by getting the lead back up to 48-41. However, the Lakers would not quit and when Michael Bradley hit a three with 4:08 left, it gave Mercyhurst its first lead of the game.
Mercyhurst retook the lead at 55-54 with a bucket, but a pair of IUP free-throws from Ethan Porterfield gave the Crimson Hawks the lead for good, but not before IUP freshman guard Dallas Dillard drew a charge, wiping out what would have been a go-ahead basket. Cameron Gross drove the baseline with 9 seconds remaining and banked the shot in but was called for a charge, running over Dillard. It wiped out what would have been a 57-56 lead for Mercyhurst. After a foul, Porterfield hit two more free throws to make it 58-55. The Lakers had 8 seconds but did not get off a shot.
Porterfield led IUP with 24 points and was 11 of 12 from the free throw line. He was the only Crimson Hawk in double figures.
IUP is now 31-2 and they will meet California University in the Atlantic Regional Tuesday night at 7 PM. Cal eliminated West Virginia State in the other semi-final, erasing a 14-point, second-half deficit. It will mark the first time since 1996 that IUP and California have met for a regional title.
The KCAC Box office will be open at 10AM Monday for tickets for Tuesday’s championship contest.
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