Box Score

INDIANA, PA - Julian Sanders (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) drained a season-high six three-pointers en route to a game-high 32 points as the 20th-ranked IUP men's basketball team defeated West Chester 71-66 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover action Friday night.

The Golden Rams would use the three-point line to control the tempo for most of the first half Friday, but the Crimson Hawks would go on an 8-0 run punctuated by a pair of three's from Sanders and Devante Chance (Philadelphia, Pa. /Electrical & Technology Charter) to take a 22-18 lead with 8:00 minutes to play in the period.

West Chester would regain the lead when Tim Flecken connected from behind the arch, but a jumper by Wells and a pair of Sanders treys put IUP ahead 33-29 with under two to play in the half.

Jon Breeden would slice into the lead with a layup for West Chester, but a three-pointer from Ashton Smith (Scarborough, ON/West Hill Collegiate) and a layup from Ethan Robinson (Gales Ferry, CT/Ledyard) as time expired would give the Crimson Hawks a 38-31 lead at the break. Sanders had 14 points in the first stanza, while Smith chipped in eight and three assists.

West Chester would use the free throw line to chip away at the IUP lead early in the second half, but another jumper by Sanders and a layup by Kevin Jones (Washington, DC/Bishop O'Connell) kept the Golden Rams at arm's length. The Crimson Hawks lead would reach as much as 10 with 5:50 to play when Sanders slipped into the lane for a crafty layup, but West Chester would respond.

After a pair of free throws by Lance McDowell cut the lead to eight, Jaleel Mack converted on back-to-back layups  and Breeden made one-of-two freebies to trim the IUP lead to just three with 3:07 to play in the game.

With West Chester charging and the Crimson Hawks in desperate need of a bucket, it was Sanders who would once again step up for IUP, drilling his sixth three-pointer of the game and a tough layup on consecutive trips down the floor to put the Crimson Hawks back in control.

The Golden Rams would continue the fight in the game's final minutes thanks to layups by Breeden and Corey Blake, but Sanders would ice the game with four free thows with under a minute to play.

Sanders was 11-of-19 from the field and 6-of-12 from three-point range for his 32 points, while Smith was 4-of-8 for 10 points and three assists. Wells chipped in nine points and five rebounds for the Crimson Hawks, while Souberbielle tallied seven points and a team-high six rebounds.

Blake led the way for West Chester with 16 points and a game-high 10 boards, while Breeden added 15 points and seven rebounds.

IUP (9-2, 6-1) returns to action tomorrow evening when they host PSAC East foe Millersville at the Kovalchick Complex. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.