Box Score
INDIANA, PA – Despite four players in double-figures, the IUP women's basketball team lost to Edinboro 69-63 in the final home regular season game for the Crimson Hawks at the KCAC.

Prior to the game, IUP honored its three seniors: Melanie Todd (Springfield, VA/West Springfield), Jessica Wallace (Vanderhoof, BC/Nechako Valley Secondary) and Talen Watson (Odenton, MD/Arundel). Each is a three-year player after transferring to the Crimson Hawks prior to the 2011-12 season. They've combined for 62 wins, three berths in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) tournament, and a pair of NCAA Atlantic Regional appearances during their time here.

With the loss, the Crimson Hawks fall to 16-9 on the year and 7-8 in divisional play. Edinboro increases its mark to 20-5 and 14-1.

Even in defeat, IUP clinched the fourth seed in the upcoming PSAC championships as Pitt-Johnstown lost earlier in the day. This secures a first round home game for the Crimson Hawks, who will host a team yet-to-be-determined next Saturday, March 1.

It was a tight game in the onset, with neither team gaining more than a four-point lead for the first 14-plus minutes of action. As the Crimson Hawks held onto a 17-16 lead with under eight minutes to play, they reeled off a 6-0 run, with buckets by Zhane Brooks (Erie, Pa. /Villa Maria) and Lindsay Stamp (Erie, Pa. /Mercyhurst Prep) to increase their lead to seven at 23-16 with 5:08 to play.

After a score by Edinboro, Stamp cut through the lane for a layup while Brooks and Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) knocked down free throws to put IUP on top 28-18 with 2:35 to play before the break. Edinboro's Laurel Lindsay made a jumper to stop the bleeding, but Watson answered with a layup and one and Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) converted a layup with under a minute to go as the Crimson Hawks took a dominating 33-20 lead into halftime.

IUP got out to a hot start in the second as Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) drained a three on the Crimson Hawks first possession, giving them their largest lead of the game at 16.

The Fighting Scots started chipping away at IUP's lead after that, getting their deficit down to five at 38-33 with a 13-2 run in four minutes.

The Crimson Hawks later got their lead back to 10, going on top 50-40 with a three-pointer by Marina Wareham (New Wilmington, Pa. /Kennedy Catholic) with 11:31 to play. Back came the Fighting Scots, getting IUP's lead down to one and then taking their first lead since the 11:36 mark of the first half when Valerie Majewski hit a three to make it a 63-61 game with 59 seconds to play.

That would be the closest that IUP would be in the final minute, as the Crimson Hawks went 0-of-3 from the field and the Fighting Scots hit all six of their free throws in the 69-63 game.

Stamp led the way in scoring for the Crimson Hawks with 13 points in 25 minutes off the bench. She went 6-of-12 from the field and had four rebounds and two assists. Stoner and Brooks each just missed double-doubles with 12 points and nine rebounds and 12 points and eight rebounds, respectively. Watson finished with 11 points.

IUP shot 43 percent in the first half but just 33 percent in the second while the Fighting Scots shot nearly 52 percent during their second half comeback.

The Crimson Hawks wrap up their regular season schedule next Wednesday on the road at rival Slippery Rock. Game time is set for 6 p.m.