• Box Score

INDIANA, Pa. (Feb. 9) - Three players scored in double-digits, including a season-high 12 points from freshman Ryah Gadson (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport), but it was not enough as the Vulcans fell to rival IUP in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action on Wednesday night, 60-57.

Following the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team drops to 15-6 overall and 6-3 in the conference. IUP improves to 15-5 this season and 7-1 in league play. Both teams entered the contest ranked in the Top 10 of the Atlantic Region, as announced by the NCAA earlier in the day on Wednesday.

Senior forward Kayla Smith (Elkins, W.Va./Elkins) led the way for the Vulcans with 19 points on 7-of-12 from the field. The reigning PSAC West Player of the Week also pulled down nine rebounds (four offensive) and added four blocks and two steals.

Junior guard Danielle Luckett (Chicago, Ill./James Hubert Blake (Md.)) added 15 points on five-of-eight from the floor, including three-for-three from beyond the arc. The 5-5 guard also grabbed four rebounds and collected three steals in the loss. Gadson added her season high of 12 points behind four three-pointers.

Over the first four-plus minutes, the two teams worked out to a 12-12 tie before Cal U went on a 21-7 run over the next nine-plus minutes, capped off by a Gadson trey, to build a 33-19 lead with 6:12 remaining before the break. IUP was able to close the gap to two points, 33-31, with a 12-0 run that included seven points from senior Lacey Claar and capped off by a free-throw by sophomore Katelyn Marshall at the 2:25-mark before Cal U scored the final four points of the half to head into the locker room leading 37-31.

In the second half, the Vulcans stretched their lead to as many as nine points, 49-40, with 12:35 left to play on a layup by sophomore forward Cynthia Fullard (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown). IUP used a 14-5 run over the next eight-plus minutes to tie the game, 54-54 with four minutes to go. A Claar back-door layup put the Crimson Hawks ahead by one point, 58-57, with 1:14 remaining and she hit two free-throws in the final seconds to secure the win.

For the game, IUP held a slim one-rebound advantage, 35-34, and outscored the Vulcans in the paint, 28-20. After shooting 50.0 percent (15-of-30) from the field in the first half, Cal U finished the game shooting 40.4 percent (21-of-52). The Vulcans also shot 57.1 percent (7-of-12) from three-point range for the game after making 63.6 percent (7-of-11) in the first half.

IUP had five players in double-digits, paced by Claar who finished with 16 points. Sophomore Brianna Johnson added 14 points and classmate Sarah Pastorek was one of three Crimson Hawks with 10 points as she also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

The Vulcans return home for a three-game PSAC West homestand, starting with Mercyhurst on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 5 p.m. Live stats will be available by clicking here.