IUP Pushes California to the Limit Before Taking Narrow Loss

Complete game stats and play-by-play

IUP whittled a 12-point deficit down to five in a span of 29 seconds late in the second half before the comeback bid fell short in a 63-54 loss at California Wednesday night.

The margin was a vast improvement from a 78-46 loss to the Vulcans at home on January 19 but was still the 10th straight loss for the Indians in the series.

The Indians fell to 9-14 overall and 2-6 in the PSAC West while the defending Division II national champions improved to 19-4 and 7-1 in the division, tied for the top spot with Clarion.

Mame Brumbaugh led IUP in scoring for the second time in the past three games, tallying 16 points while also dishing out three assists.  Katie Glaws was the only other Indian in double digits, finishing with 13.

California All-America Sara McKinney had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds.  Kim Nowakowski, the leading candidate for PSAC West rookie of the year, added 12 points and Dani Mills put in 10 while grabbing nine rebounds.  Lisa Gottuso contributed eight assists.

IUP trailed only 52-46 following a three-pointer by Kara Taylor with 5:35 to go before California scored seven of the next eight points, with Nowakowski scoring five of those points and giving the Vulcans a 59-47 lead on a free throw with 1:04 remaining.

California could not put the game away from the line, missing five straight free throws as IUP threatened to stage a miraculous comeback.  Two free throws by Taylor, a three-pointer by Glaws and a basket by Brumbaugh pulled the Indians within 59-54 with 35 ticks left. 

Megan Storck ended the Vulcan drought by making one of two from the line and, following a missed three by Glaws, Gottuso and McKinney combined to make three charity tosses over the final 21 seconds to finally put the game out of reach.

Just like in the first matchup, when IUP led late in the first half before California went on a run to close the period, the Indians were within 25-22 at the 4:04 mark but were outscored 9-2 the rest of the way and trailed 34-24 at intermission.

But unlike that initial meeting, IUP did not allow the Vulcans to race away at the outset of the second half.  A 7-0 run that included a three-pointer by Emily McMahan and a basket and two free throws by Brumbaugh inched the Indians within 36-33 with 15:47 left in the game.  But California responded with a 9-0 run of its own to give the Vulcans their largest lead of the game.

IUP got as close as six twice more, the first time at 47-41 with 8:54 left on a three by Brumbaugh and again at 52-46 on the Taylor long distance bomb to set the stage for the dramatic ending.

IUP returns home for another PSAC West contest Saturday against Shippensburg beginning at 5:30.