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Feb. 7, 2010
IUP dropped into a tie for the PSAC West lead and lost for just the second time this season with a 71-62 loss to Clarion at Tippin Gymnasium. The Crimson Hawks and Golden Eagles are both 7-1 in the PSAC West and split the season series. IUP won 76-60 in the conference opener January 13 at Memorial Field House. IUP, ranked sixth in the nation and first in the Atlantic Region, is 18-2 overall and Clarion is 15-6. Ashton Smith led IUP with 18 points, Thomas Young scored 17 and Akida McLain had a game-high 14 rebounds. Darryl Webb, who entered the game leading the Crimson Hawks with an average of 17.8 points per game, was held to just eight and only three after scoring five points in the opening two minutes. IUP shot 43.3 percent for the game but only 29 percent in the second half when the Crimson Hawks were held to just 24 points after leading by two at halftime. IUP made only 3 of 16 from 3-point distance and missed 10 of 17 from the free throw line. Jamar Harrison led four Golden Eagles in double figures with 19 points, followed by Shameel Carty with 17, Lloyd Harrison with 14 and Paul McQueen with 11. Carty was suspended for the first meeting between the two teams. Unlike IUP, Clarion benefited from its trips to the line, making 23 of 26 free throws and committed only seven turnovers. Both of IUP's losses this season have come on a Sunday, including an 88-84 double overtime setback at Cheyney on January 10. The Crimson Hawks led by as many as seven in the first half, building a 36-29 lead on a layup by Smith with 2:05 left before intermission, but Clarion scored seven of the final nine points to trail only 38-36 as the team's went to the locker room. The Golden Eagles took their first lead of the game at 48-47 on a jumper by Jamar Harrison with 11:42 left, but Smith gave IUP the lead right back with a 3-pointer 16 seconds later. Neither team was able to pull away over the next five minutes, and it was tied at 54 before a 3-point play by McQueen with 6:03 left gave Clarion a lead it would never relinquish. A layup by McQueen pushed the Clarion lead to 61-55 at the 3:47 mark. IUP got within four twice more the rest of the way, the final time at 63-59 on a Smith jumper with 1:22 left, but the Golden Eagles made eight of their next nine free throws to put the game out of reach. IUP plays back-to-back PSAC West home games for the only time this season next week. The Crimson Hawks host Lock Haven on Wednesday and Mercyhurst on Saturday. Their scheduled non-conference game at Lake Erie scheduled for Monday has been moved to February 22. |
