Box Score
INDIANA, PA – Four players scored in double-figures and the Crimson Hawks held off a late rally as the IUP women's basketball team defeated visiting Clarion 61-57 in the Kovalchick Complex on Saturday night.

It was the third straight win for the Crimson Hawks, who improve to 14-6 overall and 5-5 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West. Their divisional record now moves them into sole possession of fourth place with six games left in the season. Clarion falls to 8-12 and 2-8.

Talen Watson (Odenton, MD/Arundel) and Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) each scored 14 points while Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) netted 12 and Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center) added 10.

The Crimson Hawks got out to an early 13-2 lead as Mathe opened things up with back-to-back three-pointers. Fairman also hit a trey and converted a pair from the line while Zhane Brooks (Erie, Pa. /Villa Maria) added a layup in IUP's early run.

After a Clarion bucket, the Crimson Hawks reeled off 10 straight, including two more three-pointers by Mathe along with buckets by Brooks and Watson, as IUP built a 19-point lead at 23-4.

IUP would again lead by 19 with just under nine minutes to play before the Golden Eagles went on an 11-3 run to close the gap to 31-20 with 5:37 left before the half. Clarion cut its deficit to as low at eight before the Crimson Hawks went into the break with a 35-26 lead.

The Golden Eagles cut their deficit to seven early in the second half, but back-to-back threes by Stapleton got IUP's lead back to 13 two possessions later. Another three by Stapleton just a few minutes later gave the Crimson Hawks a 14-point lead at 48-34 with 14:10 on the clock.

With IUP's lead at 16 with 12:52, the Golden Eagles scored eight consecutive points, capitalizing on cold shooting and turnovers by the Crimson Hawks. Clarion twice cut its deficit to seven over the next several minutes, but a traditional three-point play by Stapleton got IUP's lead back to 10 at 57-47 with 4:01. However, seven straight points by the Golden Eagles made it a 57-54 game with 2:35 left on the clock.

Both teams went cold, combining to go 0-of-4 from the field with two turnovers over the next 2:21. Watson finally put points on the board with a pair of free throws with 14 seconds left on the clock. Clarion answered with a three but Stapleton iced the win with her own foul shots as IUP escaped with the four-point win.

Mathe finished 4-of-7 from three-point range while Stapleton went 3-of-8 and Fairman went 2-of-4.

Both teams combined for 38 turnovers, including 19 by IUP. The Crimson Hawks finished 15-of-18 from the foul line.

The Crimson Hawks are off this Wednesday before hosting Seton Hill on Saturday.