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Box Score
INDIANA, Pa. (Feb. 13) – The California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team rallied to tie the game in the final minute of regulation before suffering a 59-51 overtime loss to rival IUP on Wednesday evening at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.
With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 15-7 overall with an 11-7 mark in league play. Cal U and IUP played into overtime for the first time since the 2009 PSAC Championship, which IUP won 60-51.Meanwhile, the Crimson Hawks improve to 18-6 this season behind a 13-5 record in conference action. IUP also swept the regular-season series with Cal U for the first time since the 1998-99 campaign.
Junior forward
Ashley Hines (Newark, N.J./Trenton Central) scored a team-high 12 points after shooting six-of-seven from the floor. She also collected five rebounds while playing 19 minutes off the bench.
Fellow juniors
Elena Antonenko (Moscow, Russia/State University of Physical Education),
Ryah Gadson (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) and
Kate Seebohm (Millicent, Australia/Millicent), along with senior
Stephanie Michael (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown), each added eight points. Antonenko led the team 13 rebounds (six offensive) and established a career high with five blocks, while Seebohm collected six assists.
IUP opened the game with a 7-2 run before Cal U countered with a 7-2 rally over nearly five minutes to tie the game at 9-9 with 12:37 left in the first half. Following a three-pointer by the Crimson Hawks, the Vulcans scored four-straight points to take a 13-12 lead before both teams were held scoreless for nearly three minutes. IUP was held scoreless for four-plus minutes before posting 5-2 run to trim the deficit to 18-17 with 6:11 remaining. Both teams were then held scoreless for four-plus minutes before the Crimson Hawks tied the game at 18-18 with a free-throw at the 1:51-mark. The Vulcans snapped a six-minute scoreless stretch with a field goal with 24 seconds left to cut the halftime deficit to 21-20.
After Cal U made a three-pointer to open the second half, IUP mounted a 12-4 run behind eight-unanswered points to take a 33-27 lead with 16:01 remaining. The Vulcans then went on a 9-3 rally over nearly six minutes to tie the game at 36-36 before the Crimson Hawks countered with five-straight points to take a 41-36 lead with 9:12 left. Cal U trimmed the deficit to 48-47 before calling a timeout with 1:30 remaining. The Crimson Hawks then snapped a four-plus minute scoreless streak before Gadson tied the game, 50-50, on a three-pointer and 41.8 seconds left in regulation. IUP missed a three-pointer on its last possession before Gadson was unsuccessful on two shots in the final five seconds.
In the first four-plus minutes of overtime, both teams managed only three combined free-throws before IUP made a lay-up with 41.5 seconds left to take a 54-51 lead. The Crimson Hawks then sealed the victory with five free-throws in the final 25 seconds.
The Vulcans were limited to shooting just 29.3 percent (22-of-75) from the field and were only two-of-seven from the free-throw line. In comparison, the Crimson Hawks made 33.3 percent (18-of-54) from the floor and 76.9 percent (20-of-26) from the charity stripe. IUP held a 48-44 rebounding advantage despite Cal U collecting 24 offensive rebounds.
Sophomore Lindsay Stamp led three IUP players scoring in double-digits with 16 points and added nine points. Classmate Ashley Stoner posted her second double-double of the year with 15 points and 12 rebounds (12 offensive).
Cal U continues its week-long road trip on Saturday, Feb. 16, when it travels to face Lock Haven at 1 p.m.
