Boxscore
IUP used good free throw shooting down the stretch to hold off California and advance in the PSAC tournament with a 73-68 win Tuesday night in the PSAC quarterfinals at Memorial Field House.
The Crimson Hawks led 68-62 with :31 left in the game, but Joe Berenato made an off-balance 30 footer and was fouled by
Ashton Smith (Scarborough, ON/West Hill Collegiate). Berenato completed the four-point play and cut the lead to 68-66. IUP then made 5 of 6 free throws in the final half minute to ice the win.
With 1:44 left in the game California's (15-12) Steve Swiech hit a pair of free throws to cut the IUP (22-5) lead to 61-60. On the next possession Smith hit a 3-pointer part of his game-high 24 points to open the lead back to 64-60.
IUP held a 37-31 advantage at the 18:26 mark but California went on a 7-0 run to tie the game take a 38-37 lead with 14:29 to play. Action was back and forth with neither team leading by more than three until the Smith 3-pointer.
With the win the Crimson Hawks earned the right to host the PSAC Final Four Friday and Saturday.
Cheyney upset the East top seed Mansfield 77-75 and will play in the opener against Slippery Rock after the Rock knocked off Mercyhurst 51-45. That game tips off at 5:30 at Memorial Field House.
The Crimson Hawks will host East Stroudsburg, who advanced by virtue of 83-70 win over Kutztown, at 7:30.
The winners of these semifinal games will meet at 7:00 p.m. Saturday for the conference title also at Memorial Field House.
The Crimson Hawks shot 11 of 21 from beyond the arc including a 4 of 5 from both Smith and
Scooter Renkin (Midlothian, VA/Blue Ridge).
Renkin scored 12 points and added six rebounds and tied a career high with seven assists.
Darryl Webb (Elkridge, Md./Long Reach) reached double figures with 16 points including 10 of 11 from the charity stripe.
Rashawd Hatten and Swiech each had 13 points for the Vulcans. CJ Townes chipped in 12 points and Chad Tipton added 10 points.
The Crimson Hawks have now won six straight games over California the longest streak since a nine game run between the 1971-72and 1975-76 seasons.
