Jahzinga Tracey Reaches 500-Point Mark for Season but IUP Suffers Upset at Lock Haven

Boxscore and play-by-play

Jahzinga Tracey scored 25 points to become the second woman in IUP history to reach the 500-point plateau for a single season, but it was not enough to prevent the Crimson Hawks from suffering an 85-72 loss at Lock Haven in the regular season finale.

IUP (19-8, 9-3 PSAC West) now awaits Edinboro in the opening round of the PSAC tournament Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at Memorial Field House.  The Fighting Scots dropped to the fourth seed with their 67-45 loss at California on Saturday.

Lock Haven finished 12-15 and 5-7 in the division.

The Crimson Hawks were attempting to earn their third 20-win season and first since 1999-00 but that milestone will have to wait until Tuesday.  IUP was also looking to secure its No. 5 ranking in the East Region, with the NCAA tournament field announced next Sunday.

Tracey, coming off a 36-point performance against Shippensburg which was two shy of the IUP single game record, hit 10 of 23 from the field and all five of her free throws.  With 501 points this season, she trails only Jacquie Negrelli, who tallied 537 in her lone season at IUP in 2001-02.

Tracey also had 13 rebounds, giving her 10 double-doubles on the season.  Her scoring average of 18.6 is currently the fourth highest in school history.

Three other IUP players reached double figures, including Kierstin Filla with 13, Katie Glaws with 11 and Kylie Miller with 10.  But those three guards combined to make only 13 of 41 shots from the field and the Crimson Hawks were 27 of 80 (33.8) as a team and 4 of 22 (18.2) from 3-point range.

Kristen Kudrick had 21 points and Elizabeth Gabrielle had 20 to lead four Bald Eagles in double figures.  Ginger Williams and Candace Sillers both had 10 points, with Williams adding nine rebounds.  Lock Haven was 31 of 40 from the free throw line in posting its highest point total of the season.

IUP trailed 36-26 at halftime and fell behind by as many as 16 midway through the second half.  Lock Haven kept the Crimson Hawks at bay and was ahead 65-54 with 6:01 remaining before IUP made one last comeback attempt.

A free throw by Lauren Fisher and consecutive baskets by Staci Heberling and Tracey off offensive rebounds brought IUP back to within 65-59 at the 3:30 mark.  But a free throw by Gabrielle and a 3-point play by Kudrick made it a 10-point game again, and the Crimson Hawks got no closer than seven the rest of the way.

Tickets for the playoff game on Tuesday are $7.00 for adults and $2.00 for students.  IUP students with a valid I-card will be admitted free of charge.