GLENVILLE, W.Va. (March 11) – Junior
Ciaira Loyd (Scranton, Pa./Scranton) scored the game-winning basket with 0.6 seconds remaining on Friday afternoon, as the second-seeded Vulcans advanced in the NCAA Tournament with a 52-51 victory over seventh-seeded IUP at the Waco Center.
With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team improves to 25-5 overall and advances to face sixth-seeded Charleston (W.Va.) tomorrow, Saturday, March 12 at 5 p.m. The Vulcans have advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time under head coach
Jess Strom. Meanwhile, IUP finishes the year with a 21-9 record while making the NCAA Tournament for the seventh-straight year.
Loyd finished with a game-high 16 points after scoring 10 points in the second half. She also added five rebounds, three assists and two steals in the victory. In the post-season, Loyd is averaging 18.0 points and 5.0 assists over four games.
Fellow junior
Dejah Terrell (Reading, Pa./Berks Catholic) posted 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals before being ejected with under five minutes left to play. Classmate
Brionna Allen (Pittsburgh, Pa./Bishop Canevin) totaled eight points and eight rebounds (seven offensive), while junior
Lauren Bennett (Buckhannon, W.Va./Buckhannon-Upshur) registered seven points and eight rebounds (three offensive).
The Vulcans allowed just eight points in the third quarter and held a 44-38 lead entering the fourth. IUP scored a three-pointer on its initial possession of the quarter before Terrell scored on a jumper to give Cal U a 46-38 lead with 7:16 remaining. The Crimson Hawks trimmed the deficit to 46-44 before Terrell was whistled for an intentional foul and ejected from the game after official review at the 4:45-mark. IUP converted three free-throws to take the lead before Bennett made a second-chance layup on the next possession. Both teams were scoreless for two-plus minutes before the Crimson Hawks made two field goals to take a 51-48 lead with 52 seconds left to play. Sophomore
Halle Herrington (Philipsburg, Pa./Philipsburg-Osceola) converted a pair of free-throws with 38 seconds remaining before IUP called a pair of timeouts within a 20-second span. Out of the timeout, the Crimson Hawks missed a shot from inside the paint with Loyd collecting the rebound and called timeout with 10 seconds remaining. Loyd then missed a jumper and collected the offensive rebound before converting on a contested putback attempt from inside the paint with 0.6 seconds left. After a timeout moved the ball to midcourt, the Vulcans stole the inbounds pass to seal the victory.
IUP scored the opening two baskets of the game before Cal U tallied its first points at the 7:18-mark. Just over 30 seconds later, IUP junior Rajah Fink – an All-PSAC West Second-Team selection – was forced to the bench with her second foul. Cal U tied the score at 6-6 on a jumper by Allen at the media timeout. Following a three-pointer by the Crimson Hawks, the Vulcans scored seven of nine points to take a 13-11 lead with 1:50 left in the first quarter. IUP made a three-pointer in the closing seconds, snapping a three-plus minute scoreless drought, to take a 14-13 lead at the end of the quarter.
The Crimson Hawks converted four free-throws in the opening two minutes of the second quarter to build an 18-13 lead before the Vulcans made their first field goal in over six minutes with 6:53 left before halftime. Loyd was forced to the bench early in the quarter due to foul trouble before returning with under four minutes remaining. The Vulcans then scored six of eight points to tie the score at 23-23 on a layup by Bennett at the 1:12-mark. IUP responded with a pair of layups in the final 60 seconds to take a 27-23 lead at the break.
The Crimson Hawks scored the opening basket of the third quarter before the Vulcans tallied seven-straight points to claim a 30-29 lead on an aerobatic layup by Loyd at the 6:50-mark. IUP snapped a four-minute scoreless drought with 5:24 remaining in the third quarter. Cal U responded with a 9-2 run to seize a 39-33 lead at the 2:24-mark before IUP made its first basket in four minutes. The Vulcans scored the final five points of the quarter to take a 44-35 lead.
Cal U finished the game shooting just 31.4 percent (20-of-64) from the floor and converted 10-of-13 (76.9 percent) from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, IUP shot at a 40.9 clip (18-of-44) and made 12-of-16 (75.0 percent) from the charity stripe. The Crimson Hawks held a 39-34 rebounding advantage despite the Vulcans totaling 17 offensive rebounds in the victory. Cal U also forced 23 turnovers and scored 17 points off turnovers.
IUP freshman Kiera Baughman registered a double-double and led the team with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Justina Mascaro finished with 12 points and nine rebounds, while Fink was limited to five points and two rebounds in just 14 minutes.
The Vulcans will face Charleston in the second round of the NCAA Tournament tomorrow at the Waco Center with tip-off at 5 p.m. The Golden Eagles upset third-seeded Kutztown in the first round on Friday after winning the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Championship last weekend over previously undefeated Glenville State.
