INDIANA, Pa. – Redshirt junior forward Willem Brandwijk (Voorburg, The Netherlands/Holderness School (NH)) scored a season-best 15 points, leading five IUP scorers in double-figures, as the Crimson Hawks defeated visiting Mercyhurst 67-57 at the Kovalchick Complex on Saturday afternoon.
 
Brandwijk went a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor and converted 5-of-6 from the foul line, adding seven rebounds in 31 minutes of work.
 
The win was the fifth straight for the Crimson Haws, who improved to 10-4 on the season. They also took their first division lead of the season with a 6-1 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) record, one-half game in front of Slippery Rock and Edinboro (6-2).
 
IUP led for the entire game, limiting the Lakers (5-6, 2-5 PSAC) to a 33 percent conversion rate from the floor, including just 2-of-17 from three-point range. The Crimson Hawks were again efficient, shooting 52 percent from the field, dishing out assists on 15 of their 25 made buckets, while also going 11-of-13 from the foul line.
 
Brandwijk wasn't the only player close to a double-double, as Jacobo Diaz (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain/CBA Gran Canaria) scored 12 points with seven rebounds and four assist, and Dante Lombardi (Indiana, Pa./The Kiski School) had 11 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
 
Other Crimson Hawks scoring in double-figures were Anthony Glover, Jr. (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit) with 14 points and Malik Miller (Farrell, Pa./Farrell) with 13 points.
 
Up next
This was the first of three home games in five days for the Crimson Hawks, who will host Slippery Rock (12-2, 6-2) on Monday night. The Rock is the hottest team in the Western Division with 10 straight victories. Tipoff at the Kovalchick Complex is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
 
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For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP Men's Basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPMens_Bball.