INDIANA, Pa. – Despite five players scoring in double-figures, the No. 17 IUP men's basketball team suffered a 91-81 overtime loss to No. 2 Fairmont State in non-conference action Monday night at the Kovalchick Complex.
With the loss the Crimson Hawks fall to 9-2 on the season. Meanwhile the Falcons improve to 10-0.
Playing the highest ranked team in the history of the KCAC, sophomore
Dante Lombardi (Indiana, Pa./The Kiski School) scored a team-high 20 points, including going a perfect 10-of-10 from the foul line. He added five rebounds, three steals and one assist. Sophomore
Jacobo Diaz (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain/CBA Gran Canaria) added 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting and 10 rebounds. Senior
Devon Cottrell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Gateway) and junior
Anthony Glover (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit) each totaled 13 points while freshman
Malik Miller (Farrell, Pa./Farrell) scored 10 points.
In the first half, the Crimson Hawks took an early 6-3 lead on a Diaz layup at the 16:52-mark. A few minutes later the Falcons tied the game at 10-10 on a Vonte Montgomery three-pointer. Fairmont State then used a 12-7 run to take a 22-17 lead midway through the first half on a three-pointer from Thomas Wimbush. IUP cut the lead to three (28-25) after a Diaz layup at the 4:59-mark. The Falcons answered with 14-6 run to take a 42-31 lead with 1:35 left before halftime.
The Falcons pushed their lead to 50-38 at the 18:16-mark of the second half after Wimbush converted a three-point play. A three-pointer from
Dante Lombardi (Indiana, Pa./The Kiski School) and a free-throw from
Malik Miller (Farrell, Pa./Farrell) Fairmont State lead to 53-46 with 14:09 to play in regulation. The Falcons then answered with a 10-1 run over a nearly four-minute stretch to take a 63-46 lead at the 11:15-mark. IUP cut the lead to nine (66-57) after four free-throws from Lombardi over a one minute stretch. The Crimson Hawks then cut the lead to 73-68 with 2:34 to play in regulation on a three-pointer from
Anthony Glover (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit). From there IUP forced overtime after Diaz connected on a three-pointer as time expired in regulation.
In overtime, Fairmont State jumped out to an 80-75 lead after a Jason Jolly jumper at the 4:01-mark. Lombardi pulled the Crimson Hawks to within 80-77 after a pair of free-throws with 3:44 to play. Jolly then pushed the Falcon lead to 88-79 by making a free-throw with 26 seconds to play before earning the win.
The Falcons were led by game-high 22 points from Jolly on 7-of-14 (4-of-10 from beyond the arc) shooting. Wimbush added 17 points and Montgomery added 10 points.
IUP shot at a 41.4 percent (24-of-58) clip while Fairmont State connected at a 48.3 percent (29-of-60) rate. The Falcons made 10-of-25 (40.0 percent) from beyond the arc compared to just 5-of-20 (25.0 percent) for IUP. IUP did however outrebound Fairmont State 37-33.
Up Next
The Crimson Hawks resume Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play on Friday, December 30 when they host Gannon at 7:30 p.m.
Follow
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP Men's Basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPMens_Bball.
