Box Score
JOHNSTOWN, PA – Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center) scored a career-high 24 points to lead the Crimson Hawks to an 85-80 comeback overtime victory over Pitt-Johnstown in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) women's basketball action on Wednesday night.

Fairman's total came in 28 minutes off the bench, as she went 8-of-13 from the field and 6-of-7 from the foul line. She added six rebounds and had three steals.

The win improves the Crimson Hawks to 13-6 overall on the year and into a four-way tie for fourth in the PSAC West with a 4-5 divisional mark. Pitt-Johnstown is one of those four teams and has a 7-12 overall record.

Fairman was one of five Crimson Hawks to score in double-figures, including a season-high 19 points from Talen Watson (Odenton, MD/Arundel). Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) scored 15 points while Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) had 14. Zhane Brooks (Erie, Pa. /Villa Maria) nearly tallied a double-double with a season-high 13 points and nine rebounds, adding three steals of her own.

IUP found itself down by 11 at 42-31 at halftime after shooting just 38.2 percent in the opening half. The Bobcats converted 55.2 percent of their first half shots, including 8-of-12 from three-point range.

The 11-point deficit at the half was the largest for the Crimson Hawks this season.

The Crimson Hawks trailed by eight with 11:38 left before an 11-3 run capped off by a layup by Brooks tied the score at 62-62 with 8:54 on the clock. Brooks had three buckets during the run and assisted on a three-pointer by Stapleton.

Each team would hold the lead several times throughout the rest of regulation, with UPJ going up 75-72 on a three-pointer with 1:33 on the clock. Mathe would miss a chance to tie at the other end, but Fairman would come up with a steal before draining a three to knot the score at 75-75 with 47 seconds left. Fairman gave IUP a two-point lead after a layup but UPJ converted on its own layup with 13.8 to go to send the game to overtime.

In the extra period, Watson gave the Crimson Hawks an 81-80 lead with 1:44 left on a pair of free throws and Fairman went on to convert four of her own down the stretch to seal the win and complete the comeback.

The Crimson Hawks ended up shooting 44.8 percent from the floor, converting 8-of-15 from three-point range. They also finished 15-of-22 from the foul line.

IUP is back in action this Saturday, hosting Clarion at the Kovalchick Complex at 5:30 p.m.