Box Score
WINTER PARK, FL –
Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) and
Sarah Pastorek (Johnstown/Bishop McCort) combined for 24 second half points to help the 12th-ranked IUP women's basketball team rally for a 78-73 victory over Cedarville on the first night of the Rollins Holiday Classic on Saturday.
With the win IUP improves to 9-1 on the season while Cedarville falls to 7-4.
The Crimson Hawks trailed by four points at halftime before quickly falling behind by nine at 44-35 a little over one minute into the second half. Cedarville continued to lead by the same amount at the 16:45 mark with the help of a 9-4 run to open the half, going on top by the score of 48-39.
A three-pointer by Mathe less than 20 seconds later would start the comeback as the Crimson Hawks went on a 9-2 run over the next 4:01 to cut their deficit to 50-48.
After a bucket by the Yellow Jackets, IUP got free throws by Pastorek and a layup by
Lindsay Stamp (Erie, Pa. /Mercyhurst Prep) on a fast break to tie score at 52-52 with 9:40 remaining. Both teams would trade buckets before
Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) capped off a 6-0 run with a pair of free throws to put IUP on top 62-56 with 6:21 to go in the game.
Mathe put the Crimson Hawks on top by seven twice with layups at the 4:37 and 4:07 marks before Cedarville went on a 6-0 run of its own to cut IUP's lead to 69-68 with 2:16 left on the clock.
A missed three-pointer and turnover by the Yellow Jackets on their next two possessions led to buckets by
Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center) and Mathe as IUP took a 73-68 lead with 47 seconds left on the clock. Free throws were exchanged to keep the lead at five but a steal by Stamp with 31 seconds left on the clock helped clinch it as Mathe converted a pair of free throws to put IUP ahead 76-69 with 28 seconds left on the clock.
Pastorek finished with a game-high 23 points, going 7-of-10 from the floor and 8-of-10 from the foul line. Playing the second half in foul trouble, she added six rebounds and two steals in just 27 minutes of action, making her only three-point attempt of the night.
Mathe scored 16 points on 5-of-12 shooting in 32 minutes while Fairman scored 12 and Stamp added 10 in 14 minutes off the bench.
Stoner and
Melanie Todd (Springfield, VA/West Springfield) each grabbed nine rebounds while Stoner also scored nine points in her first action since December 8.
Jenerette led the Yellow Jackets with 18 points while Raegan Ryan scored 17 and Deborah Chandler added 12.
IUP led 14-8 a little over four minutes into the game before an 11-2 run by the Yellow Jackets gave them a 19-16 lead two minutes later. The Crimson Hawks came back to take a 30-26 lead with 6:16 left in the half before Cedarville closed out the final minutes on a 13-5 run.
The Crimson Hawks will finish up the Holiday Classic by facing host and 23rd-ranked Rollins on Sunday at 5:00 p.m.
