GLENVILLE, Pa. – IUP women's basketball is headed back to Elite Eight as the Crimson Hawks won their second consecutive NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Championship with a 68-60 win over rival Cal U Monday night at Glenville State's Waco Center.
"I'm just amazed … that we are here and had a chance to make the journey together," said head coach
Tom McConnell after the win.
"I don't know if there could be a tougher road, a tougher three games to play for a championship," McConnell continued. "Bowie State one night, Virginia Union the next and then Cal tonight. Something these ladies just did, for me, is just very, very special."
The Crimson Hawks wrapped up a difficult and competitive regional tournament slate with their toughest opponent, as they avenged two regular season losses.
"For it to end against Cal, who's our rival and had beaten us twice during the year. One of the best teams not just in the East but in the entire country I think is really, really gratifying as a coach and as athletes."
The Crimson Hawks received contributions from several players with senior guard
Carolyn Appleby scoring a game-high 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting with four assists. Senior forward
Brittany Robinson had 16 points, nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals, and junior forward
Lexi Griggs added 11 points and three steals.
Robinson was named the Atlantic Region Tournament Most Outstanding Player after averaging 13.0 points and 10.3 rebounds with a 64.0 field goal percentage and seven blocks in three tourney games.
"We always talk about no limits, and they took off the limits today and just played outstanding basketball," said McConnell.
Senior guard
Lauren Wolosik dished out six assists with just one turnover in 40 full minutes. Classmate
Kendall Hunter, sophomore
Courtney Alexander and freshman
Teirra Preston came off the bench for crucial plays in both halves, combining for six points and nine rebounds.
The Crimson Hawks led for nearly the entire game, using an 11-4 run at the end of the first quarter to take a 22-15 lead after 10 minutes of play.
A layup-and-one by Robinson early in the second quarter gave IUP a 25-15 lead, its largest of the first half. The Crimson Hawks later led by eight points at 28-20 after another bucket by Robinson with 6:13 to play in the quarter.
The Vulcans (26-6) used a 5-0 run to cut IUP's lead to 32-31 with 2:06 to play but buckets by Robinson and Appleby helped the Crimson Hawks take a 36-33 lead into halftime.
In the Crimson Hawks' two previous losses to Cal, the Vulcans outscored IUP 24-13 in the second quarter to take halftime leads.
The third quarter featured several missed shots by both teams and they combined to shoot 9-of-33 in the frame. Cal countered their poor field goal percentage by crashing the offensive glass, grabbing seven rebounds and used an 8-2 run to take a 43-41 lead with 4:09 left in the quarter.
With the Vulcans still on top in the final seconds, Appleby knocked down a 3-pointer and gave the Crimson Hawks a 47-45 lead and momentum heading to the fourth.
That trey jump started a 13-2 run for the Crimson Hawks as they took a 57-47 lead in the fourth quarter. The run was capped by another 3-pointer by Appleby, who averaged 19.3 points and was named to the Atlantic Region All-Tournament Team.
Cal used a last gasp to cut IUP's lead to 57-53 with 4:13 to play as the Crimson Hawks took a 30-second timeout.
Appleby followed the break with back-to-back midrange jumpers, while free throws by Appleby and
Natalie Myers gave IUP a comfortable 63-53 lead with two minutes left. Griggs hits two more field goals down the stretch to ice the game.
"This young lady was on fumes the last five minutes," McConnell said about Appleby. "To everybody's amazement the next two possessions she makes two huge shots and it's like 'where did that come from?' She just is able to go to a place and find a way to elevate."
Appleby scored 10 of IUP's 21 fourth quarter points, knocking down 4-of-8 shots from the field.
"It's a great night for our team and for IUP basketball."
Up next
The Crimson Hawks, who are now 29-3 overall, head to the Elite Eight for the second straight year and third time in program history. The 2019 NCAA Division II Elite Eight will be played in Columbus, Ohio March 26-27 & 29.
Joining IUP in the Elite Eight is Nova Southeastern, Southwestern Oklahoma, North Georgia, Saint Anselm, Drury and Azusa Pacific. Lubbock Christian and Angelo State will play Tuesday for the final Elite Eight berth.
The eight teams will be reseeded Wednesday to generate first round matchups.
Follow
For up-to-date game information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_WBB.
