Staci Heberling set career
highs with 19 points and 14 rebounds and Jahzinga Tracey added her fourth
double double of the season with 16 points and 14 boards to lead IUP to a
69-64 victory over Mansfield and a sweep of its PSAC crossover weekend.
Katie Glaws tallied 18
points for her sixth double figure scoring game of the year and just two shy
of her career high set last season against West Chester.
With the win over the
Mounties, IUP (4-3) has won nine straight crossover games. Mansfield
lost for the first time in five games this season.
Tracey added four steals,
including one with just two seconds left and IUP clinging to a one
possession lead at 67-64. Tracey hit both free throws to clinch the
win.
Jessica Ulrich led all
scorers with 23 points for Mansfield. She was followed by Mallory
Hafer with 15 and Clarissa Correll with 11. Uhrich and Jeanette
Meacham both had 10 rebounds.
IUP committed only 11
turnovers and shot 57.1 percent from 3-point range (8 of 14).
IUP never trailed in the
contest, leading by as many as 15 in the first half, and was ahead 62-55
after a jumper by Heberling with 3:31 left in the game.
But Mansfield rallied to
tie the game at 62 and 64 before strong work on the offensive glass spelled
the difference for IUP. Heberling grabbed a pair of offensive
rebounds, one off her own miss, and scored with 37 seconds left to give IUP
the lead for good at 66-64.
Heberling was fouled on the
play and missed the free throw, but again IUP was all over the glass.
Tracey retrieved the Heberling missed charity toss and, after two short
misses, Heberling corralled her 14th rebound of the game with 22 seconds
left.
IUP called a timeout and
got the ball in the hands of Glaws, its top free throw shooter, who was
fouled with 13 seconds remaining. Glaws made one of two to give IUP a
three-point cushion which was secured after Tracey swiped a pass by Correll.
IUP got off to a quick
start, thanks in large part to its proficiency from beyond the arc.
Glaws made three 3-pointers in the opening 6:21 and Lauren Fisher and Tracey
also connected from long distance to give IUP a 23-10 lead with 13:39 left
in the first half.
Mansfield got to within six
at 23-17 before IUP went on an 11-2 run, including seven straight points by
Heberling at one point, to build a 34-19 advantage. A Mansfield run
got the Mounties to within 43-36 at intermission.
Mansfield reduced its
deficit to 50-48 on a 3-pointer by Hafer at the midway point of the second
half, but IUP was able to hold onto to the lead until the Mounties finally
evened matters in the closing minutes.
IUP is off for final exams
before playing three games in five days before the holiday break. IUP
is at Walsh on December 16 followed by home games against Fairmont State on
December 20 and Cheyney two days later.
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