The Crimson Hawks defeated the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Wednesday night in a basketball doubleheader.
In the women’s game: IUP 77, UPJ 65
Sophomore guard Carolyn Appleby scored a team-high 19 points. The win was the fifth straight for the Crimson Hawks, who improved to 17-5 overall and 15-3 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Edinboro also lost, so IUP moved back into second place in its division.
Sophomore guard Lauren Wolosik scored 18 points. Junior forward Megan Smith scored 14 points and sophomore forward Kendall Hunter finished with a season-high 10 points.
Blairsville alumnus Laurel O’Barto led UPJ with six assists.
In the men’s game: IUP 84, UPJ 63
IUP clinched the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division men’s basketball title for the seventh time in nine seasons.
The fourth-ranked Crimson Hawks improved to 22-2 overall on the year, with a PSAC-best 17-1 conference record.
Ayron Hutton led IUP with 14 points and Jacobo Diaz scored 12 points. Dante Lombardi, Malik Miller and Anthony Glover each added 11 points.
IUP has now wrapped up home court advantage throughout the PSAC tournament. As the top seed, the Crimson Hawks will receive a first round bye, and with a win in the quarterfinals, would host the conference semifinals and championship game at the Kovalchick Complex the first weekend in March.
