Box Score

INDIANA, PA – Lindsay Stamp (Erie, Pa. /Mercyhurst Prep) and Sarah Pastorek (Johnstown/Bishop McCort) each posted double-doubles as third-seeded IUP rallied from a halftime deficit to secure a 62-56 win over sixth-seeded Mercyhurst in the opening round of the 2013 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Women's Basketball Championship.

With the win the Crimson Hawks advance to the quarterfinals on Tuesday as they travel to Edinboro to take on the second seeded Fighting Scots. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m.

Stamp had a huge night with 20 points, a career-high 14 rebounds, five steals, four blocks and three assists. She also had zero turnovers in 32 minutes of action. Stamp finished 7-of-10 from the foul line and grabbed six offensive rebounds.

Pastorek notched her third double-double of the season with 14 points and a season-high 12 rebounds in 24 minutes. She also crashed the boards offensive with five of the 12 coming on that end of the floor.

The Crimson Hawks faced tough competition from the Lakers all night, heading into halftime down 30-25. Mercyhurst would then extend its lead to six less than two minutes into the second half, going on top 33-27 after a pair of free throws by Kaylee Foster.

Stamp would answer with a three-pointer, jumpstarting a 9-0 IUP run that would give the Crimson Hawks their first lead of the game at 36-33 with 15:27 on the clock.

With the game tied at 39-39 both teams would exchange runs, with IUP scoring seven consecutive before the Lakers dropped eight straight to go in front 47-46 after a three by Foster with 8:30 remaining. Both teams would exchange the lead as the game saw three more ties before IUP took a 55-53 lead on a turnaround jumper by Pastorek with 4:12 on the clock.

A three by Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center) at the 2:57 mark gave IUP a 58-54 lead before another bucket by Foster on the Lakers following possession got their deficit back to two.

Each team would exchange missed three-point attempts on their following possessions but an offensive layup and putback by Pastorek gave IUP a 60-56 lead with 1:03 left.

With the score the same with 18 seconds remaining, Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) jumped in front of an inbounds pass and would later hit a pair of free throws to ice the game and help advance the Crimson Hawks to the next round.

Foster led the Lakers with 21 points while Alayna White grabbed 13 rebounds. Lindsey Burke hit four three-pointers, including three in the first half, as she played a major part in Mercyhurst securing the halftime lead.

The Lakers made five three-pointers in the first half and went 11-of-14 from the line while IUP converted just 8-of-35 from the field to help give Mercyhurst the five-point advantage at the break.

The Crimson Hawks finished 20-of-64 from the field, making 41.4 percent of their shots in the second half to help in the rally. They also outrebounded Mercyhurst 48-to-36, including a 19-to-8 advantage on the offensive glass. IUP turned the ball over just 12 times, the second lowest of the season.