Box Score

ERIE, PA - Melanie Todd (Springfield, VA/West Springfield) scored a career-high 11 points and grabbed six rebounds but a Lady Knights scoring flurry late in the first half doomed the14th-ranked  IUP women's basketball team in a 69-58 loss at 10th-ranked Gannon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action Saturday.

Tied at 19-19 with just over six minutes to play in the first period, Gannon ( 8-1, 3-0 PSAC) closed out the half on a 16-6 run to build up a double-digit lead they would not relinquish. The stretch was sparked by Brittany Batts, who nailed a trio of three-pointers in the final 2:15.

The Crimson Hawks would cut the lead to single-digits midway through the second half thanks to a pair of free throws from Todd and an Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center) layup, but the Lady Knights would respond with an 8-2 run to take a 49-35 lead with 10:15 to play.

Todd would lead one final comeback attempt late in the second half with a pair of free throws and an easy layup to trim the deficit to eight with just over eight minutes to play in the game, but Batts would bury two more of her seven three's on the afternoon to put away the win for Gannon.

Despite playing from behind for most of the contest, IUP would hold the advantage early on thanks to a three from Talen Watson (Odenton, MD/Arundel) and a pair of Lindsay Stamp (Erie, Pa. /Mercyhurst Prep) buckets.

Stamp paced the Crimson Hawks with 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting, while Todd was 7-of-8 from the charity strip en route to her 11 points. Sarah Pastorek (Johnstown/Bishop McCort) was also 7-of-8 from the free throw line for IUP and finished with 13 points.

Batts was 7-of-10 from behind the arc for a game-high 26 points, while Jennie Thies was the only other Lady Knight in double-figures with 10 points on 3-of-3 shooting from the floor.

The Crimson Hawks (6-1, 2-1 PSAC) have a ten-day layoff before returning to action next Tuesday against Bloomsburg. Tip off at the Kovalchick Complex is set for 5:30 p.m.