GREENSBURG, Pa. – Zhané Brooks had her ninth double-double of the season, but hot-shooting by Seton Hill doomed IUP in the second half in a 68-54 loss Wednesday.
IUP, in its final regular season game, drops to 19-7 overall and 16-6 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West division. IUP entered the game in second place in the PSAC West, but a win over Edinboro by California (Pa.) meant the Crimson Hawks could finish in no spot other than No. 2.
Brooks scored 14 points and grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds for the double-double and also added two blocks, but IUP was outscored 43-25 in the second half. Brooks, who converted her 12th double-double of her career, was the only Crimson Hawk player in double-figures scoring, as freshman guard
Carolyn Appleby (Greensburg, Pa. /Greensburg Central Catholic) and redshirt senior guard
Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) were close behind with nine points each.
IUP went up by as many as six points midway through the second quarter and led, 29-25, going into halftime. However, some second-half runs by Seton Hill blew the game open.
Sophomore
Megan Smith (Blain, Pa./West Perry) added eight points and six rebounds, while Stapleton grabbed five rebounds and sophomore guard
Halle Denman (Beaver Falls, Pa. /Blackhawk) matched her career-high high with eight points. Denman had five rebounds and two steals.
The Crimson Hawks, who earned a first-round bye in the PSAC tournament, are back in action Tuesday in a quarterfinal matchup at the Kovalchick Complex. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. against the winner of the 3/6 matchup between Gannon and Seton Hill.
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_WBB.