IUP Makes Successful Debut Under Head Coach Cindy Martin

Boxscore and play-by-play

IUP made the head coaching debut of Cindy Martin a success on Friday, downing Bridgeport by a score of 56-46 in the opening round of the Millersville Tip-Off Classic.

The Indians will try to make it two in a row on Saturday when they face Saint Rose at 1:00. 

Mame Brumbaugh led IUP with 11 points, nine rebounds and five steals while adding three assists.  Freshmen Lizzie Suwala and Jahzinga Tracey both came off the bench to score 10, with Tracey making all five of her field goal attempts and making two steals.

Kara Taylor had eight points and four steals, and Lauren Fisher handed out four assists.  IUP held Bridgeport to 30.0 percent shooting from the field (18 of 60) and forced 25 turnovers, 13 of those resulting in steals.

Jennifer Rucker led Bridgeport (1-1) with 15 points while Tereza Arnetova pulled down 11 rebounds.

IUP fell behind by as many as seven points twice in the first half, the final time at 18-11 midway through the period.  But the Indians got back in the game on the strength of a 10-0 run, including a game-tying 3-pointer by freshman Kylie Miller at the 7:30 mark.

Trailing 22-21 with 3:34 left in the opening half, IUP outscored Bridgeport 10-3 the rest of the way to take a 31-25 lead into the break.  Brumbaugh scored five of the points and Taylor added a 3-pointer as part of the surge.

IUP scored only two points in the first nine minutes of the second half as Bridgeport pulled to within two at 33-31 with 11:44 left in the game. 

But consecutive layups by Fisher, Miller and Taylor and a jumper by Tracey over the next  2:40 gave the Indians a 41-31 lead with 9:04 remaining. 

A pair of baskets by yet another first-year player, Staci Heberling, and a 3-pointer by Suwala keyed a 7-0 run and a 15-2 overall spurt that gave IUP its biggest lead at 48-33 with 6:41 left in the game.