Box Score | Post Game Press Conference

WEST LIBERTY, WV – Marcel Souberbielle (Montevideo, Uruguay/Uruguayan American School) notched a double-double and the Crimson Hawks defense limited Slippery Rock to a 30 percent field goal percentage as third-seeded IUP advanced to the Sweet 16 with a 53-50 win in the 2013 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region semifinals on Sunday night.

After the Crimson Hawks (26-5) took a three-point lead with 10 seconds remaining, Slippery Rock had a final chance at the tie but IUP limited any look from beyond the arc and The Rock couldn't get off a single shot.

It was Souberbielle's first double-double of the season, finishing with 15 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in 38 minutes.

Anthony Wells (Cleveland, OH/Shaker Heights) added 14 points, including six of IUP's final 10 points and Scooter Renkin (Midlothian, VA/Blue Ridge) finished 11 points and six rebounds. 

IUP limited The Rock (23-9) to just 19 first half points as they converted 5-of-26 shots from the floor. Slippery Rock finished 3-of-15 from beyond the three-point line and 15-of-24 from the foul line.

Souberbielle was on fire from the outset, draining a pair of three-pointers and converting a layup to help the Crimson Hawks to a 10-3 lead 4:06 into the game. The Rock responded with a 9-2 run to tie the score at 12-12 midway through the first half, but IUP regained the lead and went up by as many as eight before heading into the locker room with a 24-19 advantage. 

IUP led by six a few minutes into the second half before Slippery Rock ripped off an 11-2 run to take a 34-31 lead with 12:23 to go.

A three by Wells tied the score and a jumper by Souberbielle a few moments later gave IUP a 38-35 lead with under 10 minutes to play. After The Rock tied the score at 38-38, the Crimson Hawks scored seven straight to take a 45-38 lead, getting a three by Mathis Keita (Thionville, France/Insep), his only bucket of the game.

A three by The Rock's John Bayardelle stopped the IUP run, making it a four-point game with 2:04 remaining. Wells converted a pair of free throws on the next possession and after a missed three by Bayardelle, drained a jumper to put IUP on top 49-41 with 1:08 to play.

Two more free throws by Wells gave the Crimson Hawks a 52-45 lead with under 25 seconds left but a jumper by Sa'Quan Davis and a three by Devin Taylor after an IUP turnover made it a two-point game with 15 seconds on the clock.

Renkin was fouled and converted 1-of-2 from the foul line, setting up the final 10 seconds.

Keita finished with just three points but had five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Wiegand added eight points and Wells dished out four assists.

Souberbielle also succeeded on the defensive end, helping to limit Taylor to just nine points on 4-of-13 shooting. Darious Clark led Slippery Rock with 12 points while Gerald Brooks had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

This is IUP's seventh trip to the Sweet Sixteen since 1994 and third in the last four seasons. IUP also advanced to its regional final in 1994, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2010 and 2011. The Crimson Hawks appeared in the national title game in 2010. 

The Crimson Hawks will now play the winner of the West Liberty-Fairmont State matchup for the right to go to the Elite Eight next Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. West Liberty is the top seed in the region while Fairmont State is seeded fourth.