INDIANA, Pa. – Sophomore guard Armoni Foster scored a game-high 21 points and led a huge second half performance as the 11th-ranked IUP men's basketball team rallied for a 75-52 win over West Virginia Wesleyan Friday night at the Kovalchick Complex.
 
It was the first game of the season-opening IRMC/Hilton Garden Inn Classic.
 
The Crimson Hawks rebounded from a 31-25 halftime deficit to outscore Wesleyan 50-21 in the second half, shooting 55 percent from the field. They also cut down on their turnovers, giving the ball up 11 times in the first 20 minutes compared to just six in the second.
 
Foster scored 15 of his 21 points after halftime, going 6-of-7 from the field including a couple of 3-pointers.
 
In all, four Crimson Hawks scored in double-figures, with sophomore guard Dave Morris netting 15 while senior forward Tommy Demogerontas and junior guard Shawndale Jones each adding 11.
 
Those three made their debut with the Crimson Hawks as each transferred to IUP in the offseason. Morris came from Tennessee State while Demogerontas arrived from Northern Illinois and Jones from NJIT.
 
IUP trailed nearly the entire first half with the six-point deficit its largest with 2:05 left to play before the break. IUP shot just 29 percent in the first half, including a 3-of-15 performance from beyond the arc.
 
The Crimson Hawks instantly heated up in the second half with Morris, Demogerontas and Foster each hitting 3s in the first four-plus minutes. IUP opened with a 13-4 run to take a 38-35 lead and later went on a 14-4 run to go on top by nine points midway through the half.
 
More 3-pointers fell and the Crimson Hawks forced turnovers as they scored 14 straight points to break the game open at 66-45 with just under five minutes to play.
 
The IUP defense forced Wesleyan into 18 turnovers in the second half alone (27 for the game). Senior forward Chucky Humphries had four steals while Morris and Foster each grabbed three.
 
Up next
The Crimson Hawks wrap up their season-opening weekend Saturday night against Concord at 6 p.m. The Mountain Lions defeated Pitt-Johnstown 79-76 in Friday night's second game.
 
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