Box Score

CLARION, PA – Led by a career-high 18 points from Devante Chance (Philadelphia, Pa. /Electrical & Technology Charter), the IUP men's basketball team won its fourth-straight game, defeating Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference rival Clarion 68-47 on the road Saturday night.

Chance's 18 points were the most scored since he registered 18 against Pitt-Greensburg on November 10, 2012. 

Four Crimson Hawks finished with double digits for the third time this season. In addition to Chance's 18, Mathis Keita (Thionville, France/Insep) scored 13, Marcel Souberbielle (Montevideo, Uruguay/Uruguayan American School) posted 12 and Devon Cottrell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Gateway) had 10.

Cottrell also led the team in rebounds, grabbing 11 boards for his second consecutive double-double. Keita, Souberbielle and Jeremy Jeffers (Wilson, N.C./Greenfield School) each finished with seven rebounds.

The game was up and down from the start, with four lead changes coming in the first seven minutes of play. A jumper from Cornell Yarde II (Reading, Pa. /Schuylkill Valley) would turn the momentum in IUP's favor, giving the Crimson Hawks the two-point lead.

Chance followed that up, sinking a shot from behind the arc, and sending the Crimson Hawks on a 21-8 run.

With just under five minutes to play, and leading 30-15, the two teams went back-and-forth down the court, exchanging points. It would be the Crimson Hawks, however, who would head into the break with the 15-point lead, up 37-22 following two Yarde free throws.

The Golden Eagles battled back to open up the second half, going on a 16-6 run and getting within five points of the IUP lead.

IUP responded, ignited by a hard-fought offensive battle resulting in a Souberbielle layup. Multiple baskets from Chance and Keita put IUP back in control of the game, sitting comfortably with an 18-point advantage with just over six minutes remaining in the game.

Clarion's Mike Kromka and Demarius Miller both tried to ignite the Golden Eagles' offense, but to no avail. With the 15-point advantage and 3:57 left in the game, IUP again showed their dominance, led by buckets from Cottrell, Chance, Keita and Yarde, the Crimson Hawks closed out the game, claiming the 68-47 victory.

This was IUP's lowest scoring game of the season, as the Crimson Hawks registered under 70 points for the first time. They shot a season-low 40.7 percent (22-of-54) from the field and 26.7 percent (4-of-15) from behind the arc. Defense kept them in the game, as they held the Golden Eagles to just 17-of-53 field goals (32.1 percent) and 3-of-19 three-pointers (15.8 percent).

The Crimson Hawks were able to convert on Clarion's mistakes, scoring 18 points from the Golden Eagles' 13 turnovers.

With the win, IUP improves to 4-0 (2-0 PSAC West). The Crimson Hawks are the only unbeaten team and one of only three teams with perfect conference records in the PSAC West. They'll have a week to rest before taking on Shaw and the University of Sciences in the annual Indiana Regional Medical Center Classic Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. They'll take on the Bears of Shaw Saturday at 3 p.m. and the Devils of the University of the Sciences Sunday at 3 p.m.