INDIANA, Pa. – Four players scored in double-figures for the Crimson Hawks, who limited Pitt-Johnstown to 12 points below their scoring average as IUP defeated the Mountain Cats 77-66 in the quarterfinals of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Men's Basketball Championships on Tuesday night the Kovalchick Complex.
 
IUP improved to 21-7 on the year and advances to the semifinals and a matchup against West Chester on Saturday afternoon.
 
West Chester is the second seed in the PSAC East and will host the conference final four (semifinals and championship game) by virtue of being the top remaining seed left in the division. The Crimson Hawks are the winners of the PSAC West.
 
Senior guard Brandon Norfleet (Virginia Beach, Va. /Landstown) led the charge offensively with 22 points and six assists. Sophomore guard Anthony Glover (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit) scored 12, while senior forward Tevin Hanner (Baltimore, Md./Milford Mill) and freshman forward Jacobo Diaz (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain/CBA Gran Canaria) each added 11.
 
The Crimson Hawks shot 50.0 percent (29-of-58) from the field and made eight three-pointers on the night. Defensively, they forced UPJ into 16 turnovers and limited the high-scoring Mountain Cats to seven three-pointers, two below their season average.
 
IUP also outrebounded the Mountain Cats 32-to-30.
 
Pitt-Johnstown (18-11) got out to a fast start, but the Crimson Hawks came right back with a combined four three-pointers from Diaz and fellow freshman Dante Lombardi (Indiana, Pa./The Kiski School) to take a 20-9 lead with 12:20 to play in the first half. Diaz hit three of those triples, including two on back-to-back possessions, to excite the KCAC crowd and give IUP a burst of early energy.
 
UPJ later closed the gap to three, but the Crimson Hawks scored nine straight points to take a 46-34 lead into halftime.
 
The IUP lead stayed in double-digits until midway through the second half, with a 13-6 UPJ run making it a 65-58 game with just over eight minutes to play. The Crimson Hawks' lead got down to six with four minutes to play, but the IUP defense limited the Mountain Cats to just two more made baskets – both in the final 1:41 of play – to close out the game and the double-digit victory.
 
It was the 225th career win in 10 seasons for IUP head coach Joe Lombardi, with 14 of those coming in the PSAC tournament. He advances to the semifinal round for the sixth time in the last seven seasons.
 
IUP and West Chester will tipoff at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Hollinger Field House.
 
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP Men's Basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPMens_Bball.