Box Score

ERIE, PA – Scooter Renkin (Midlothian, VA/Blue Ridge) tallied a career-high 25 points, including 16 in the second half, as the 22nd-ranked IUP men's basketball team outlasted Gannon 72-65 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action Saturday.

Locked in a tight back-and-forth battle midway through the second half, Renkin would take over for the Crimson Hawks (6-1-, 2-1 PSAC), depositing 10 consecutive points to give IUP a 60-50 lead with just over six minutes to play in the game.

Renkin was a sterling 8-of-12 from the floor and 3-of-5 from three-point territory for his 25 points, including 16 in the second half. Anthony Wells (Cleveland, OH/Shaker Heights) added 11 points and two assists for the Crimson Hawks, while Mathis Keita (Thionville, France/Insep) finished with nine points, five rebounds and six assists.

Neither team was able to gain an advantage in the game's opening minutes as Gannon held a one-point lead with over 15 minutes to play in the first half, but the Crimson Hawks would rip off an 18-2 run over the next six minutes to take a 24-9 lead with 9:32 to play in the half.

Blake Vedder (Chesterland, OH/West Geauga) would key the IUP run with a pair of buckets, while a pair of Renkin three-pointers would cap an outstanding stretch for the Crimson Hawks and force a Gannon timeout.

The Golden Knights would bounce back, however, slicing the IUP lead to just three with under a minute to play in the period thanks to a layup from Robert Wilson and a three by Oscar Macias, but a steal and an easy bucket for Devante Chance (Philadelphia, Pa. /Electrical & Technology Charter) would help the Crimson Hawks to a 32-28 lead at the break.

Chance had three points and four assists in the first half, while Renkin deposited nine points on a trio of three's. Vedder chipped in six first-half points on 3-of-4 shooting, while Keita and Wells each added five points.

Gannon would continue to chip away at the IUP lead early in the second stanza, finally tying it at 37-37 16:01 to play on a Brandon Emmitt triple. Macias would give the Golden Knights their first lead since the 15:25 mark of the first half just moments later with a jumper, but back-to-back deuces from Devon Cottrell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Gateway) swing momentum back in favor of the Crimson Hawks.

Algeron Torrence paced the Golden Knights (5-2, 1-2 PSAC) with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting, while Macias finished with 17 points and three boards.

The Crimson Hawks return home next Tuesday to face PSAC East foe Bloomsburg. Tipoff with the Huskies is set for 7:30 p.m.