SLIPPERY ROCK, PA – Four players scored in double-figures to help the IUP women's basketball team to a dominating 75-48 victory over rival Slippery Rock in the regular season finale for both schools on Wednesday night at the Morrow Field House.
The 27-point win over Slippery Rock is the Crimson Hawks largest of the season, eclipsing the 25-point wins at Shepherd (78-53) and Clarion (70-45).
IUP wraps up its regular season with a 17-9 overall record and an 8-8 mark in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division. This is the end of the Slippery Rock's season, finishing with a 6-20 record and in last place in the division with a 3-13 mark.
The victory for IUP was also its seventh consecutive regular season finale win and its 14th straight over its rival, dating back to the 2007-08 season.
Of those four players scoring in double-figures was
Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center), who had a team-high 16 points. She just missed a double-double with eight rebounds to go along with four steals. She finished 5-of-9 from the field and 4-of-4 from the foul line.
Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) posted her second double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds. She finished 7-of-13 from the field with seven of her 11 boards coming on the offensive end.
Slippery Rock never held a lead in this game as the Crimson Hawks raced out to a quick 12-2 lead in less than five minutes.
With the Crimson Hawks on top 12-5, they ripped off a 13-0 run, culminating with a three-pointer by
Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) at the 9:06 mark. Stoner scored six points on the run, with lasted 6:05.
A three by Fairman a few minutes later gave IUP a 21-point lead before Slippery Rock climbed to within 16 at 35-16 with 2:29 left in the half. IUP then finished with a 9-3 run, finished off with a jumper by
Talen Watson (Odenton, MD/Arundel) at the buzzer to take a 44-19 lead into the break.
The 25-point lead at the break tied the Crimson Hawks highest halftime lead of the season. They also led Shepherd 44-19 back on Dec. 2.
The Crimson Hawks kept their lead in the 20's for most of the second half, with Slippery Rock only getting as close as 16 points with under five minutes to go in the game.
Emptying the bench, the Crimson Hawks outscored Slippery Rock 11-0 down the stretch to register the 27-point win.
Stapleton finished with 14 points, draining a pair of three-pointers while adding eight rebounds and two steals.
Lindsay Stamp (Erie, Pa. /Mercyhurst Prep) scored 11 points in her first start since returning from injury, adding seven rebounds and two steals.
The Crimson Hawks held the rebounding edge, 47-to-33. They also forced Slippery Rock into 19 turnovers while committing just 12. Slippery Rock shot just 32.1 percent from the floor while IUP converted 41.8 percent.
During the game, IUP broke a program record for three-pointers in a season and now hold a mark of 186. The old mark of 184 was set during the 2004-05 season. A trey by Stapleton at the 17:56 mark in the second half broke the record.
Holding the fourth seed in the PSAC tournament, the Crimson Hawks will host fifth-seed Pitt-Johnstown in the first round on Saturday. Game time is set for 7 p.m.