The IUP basketball teams both won at Bloomsburg on Saturday, and both remain undefeated. The women are 6-0 after a 72-64 victory and the men won, 69-49, to raise their record to 7-0.
From IUP Athletics:
WOMEN: Hawks close out Bloomsburg; push record to 6-0
BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The IUP women’s basketball team held on for a 72-64 victory against Bloomsburg, remaining undefeated and finishing out a sweep of the opening Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover weekend.
Kiera Baughman anchored the IUP (6-0, 2-0) offense behind a career-high 24 points in 39 minutes. Baughman was one of four starters in double figures for IUP, which collected 11 steals. Alana Cardona finished with a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, adding two blocks.
Teirra Preston was an efficient 6-of-8 from the floor, posting 14 points and six rebounds. Maria Cerro posted 13 points, four assists and three steals in 39 minutes in an all-around effort. IUP shot 52% for the game, including 62.5% in the fourth quarter despite hitting just one of four attempted three-pointers.
Allison Hileman posted a team-high 17 points for Bloomsburg (2-4, 0-2 PSAC) and Emma Gochnauer provided 14 points in 33 minutes off the bench. The Huskies looked to chip away for the majority of the contest but were hampered by 22 turnovers.
IUP countered a quick Bloomsburg start, working its lead to 13-9 after a jumper from Baughman. Cardona stretched the Crimson Hawk advantage to seven points following a pir of foul shots at the conclusion of the first quarter. The Huskies could not convert in the final possession of the first, grabbing two offensive rebounds over the last 11 seconds of the stanza.
Bloomsburg trimmed its deficit to 20-19 with a jumper from Nicole Schmidt. The Hawks responded with an 8-0 spurt, capped by a transition and-one hoop from Baughman at 4:14 of the second. IUP continued to limit the Huskies on the offensive end, taking a 32-28 into the intermission.
Early in the second half, Cerro found Cardona for a basket underneath through contact, stretching the IUP advantage to 37-28. The Huskies responded, chipping away their deficit to just four at 37-33. Again, IUP used a timely run with six of the next eight points for a 43-35 lead.
The IUP lead hovered around between one and two possessions for the remainder of the frame. Bloomsburg got to within three after the opening score of the fourth before IUP used efficient offense to remain in front. Baughman finished off another timely and-one at 7:02, moving IUP ahead by double figures at 58-48, the team’s largest lead of the evening.
From there, Bloomsburg got to within six on several occasions before IUP countered back. IUP has posted 10 or more steals in three consecutive contests and four times this season. Between the first and fourth quarters, Bloomsburg was limited to 11-of-35 (31.4%) from the floor. Meanwhile, IUP made 10 field goals in the fourth quarter alone to preserve the victory.
Up Next
IUP returns home on Sunday, December 11 for a matchup with Goldey-Beacom at the KCAC. Tipoff is set for 2:00 p.m.
MEN: No. 3/2 IUP men takes care of Bloomsburg with strong defensive showing
BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The third-ranked IUP men’s basketball team breezed past Bloomsburg in a 69-49 win on Saturday night.
IUP (7-0, 2-0) used another lockdown defensive showing to secure a sweep in the opening weekend of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover action. Limiting Bloomsburg (0-5, 0-2 PSAC) to 28.8% shooting on the night, the Crimson Hawks held a decisive 27-10 edge in points off turnovers.
Shawndale Jones surpassed the 20-point plateau for the sixth time in seven games, finishing with 22 points points on 7-of-16 shooting. Ethan Porterfield was also in double figures with 15 points, a team-high nine rebounds and two blocks, part of a balanced scoring output for the Crimson Hawks. Damir Brooks added seven points, including some highlight reel dunks in the second half.
The duo of Ash Kemble and Jake Nelson paced the Huskies on a tough shooting night with 10 points each. The Huskies narrowed the gap over the final few minutes of the game with IUP working in players from the bench. The Crimson Hawks collected 14 steals, forcing 18 Bloomsburg turnovers on the night.
IUP held Bloomsburg scoreless over the final 1:51 of the opening half, maintaining that defensive intensity over the final 20 minutes. Leading 35-23 at the half, IUP held a 9-0 edge in fastbreak points through the initial 20 minutes.
With the score knotted early, IUP opened up an 11-3 scoring spurt to surge ahead near the midway point of the half. Jones dropped in a triple for a 15-7 edge before the Huskies slowly battled back. Kyle Polce lined up a three-point basket from the right corner, stretching the IUP lead to 27-15.
The Hawks methodically built up a double figure lead at the end of the opening half with three foul shots over the last 26 seconds of the stanza.
Off a chaotic sequence in the second half, Jones patiently drilled a three with under 16 minutes remaining in the second half, opening up a 42-26 edge for the Hawks. Out of the media timeout, Porterfield drove inside for an easy basket before Dallis Dillard dropped in an uncontested triple from the left wing.
The Hawks used an 8-0 run, holding the Huskies scoreless for over four minutes, part of a larger 22-5 spurt that put the contest away near the midway point of the second half. Off a steal and missed transition layup, Tomiwa Sulaiman was there for the putback and a 56-30 advantage.
Moments later, Brooks showcased his explosiveness on a two-handed dunk following a baseline feed from Jaheim Bethea. Following a Bethea steal, Brooks gathered the ball at midcourt and soared down for another slam, pushing all momentum in favor of the visitors. Bethea finished with four assists and three steals in 18 minutes of action off the bench.
IUP slowed the pace as the clock ticked under five minutes, remaining ahead comfortably. Working in some of the bench, IUP closed out the victory as time melted away. Bloomsburg closed the game out on a 13-2 run over the final five minutes, but it was not enough with the game well in hand.
Up Next
IUP returns home to the KCAC on Sunday, December 11 for a clash with Penn State Altoona at 4:00 p.m.
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