INDIANA, Pa. – All five starters scored in double digits as the second-ranked IUP men's basketball team held off several pushes from a scrappy Kutztown side in an 83-72 victory at the KCAC on Sunday evening.
IUP (9-0, 3-0) shot 54.8% in the second half, used some electrifying transition play and received a balanced scoring output from the starting lineup in the victory.
Tomiwa Sulaiman paced the Crimson Hawks with a double-double of 21 points (9-15 FG) and 12 rebounds, adding six steals and a block in an action-packed 29 minutes.
Shawndale Jones added 19 points and six assists, going 7-for-8 from the foul line.
Dave Morris surpassed 1,000 career points in his collegiate career, spanning both Tennessee State and IUP, with 15 points and six assists. Morris eclipsed the milestone as part of a scoring barrage with just under five minutes remaining in the first half.
Damir Brooks provided no shortage of highlight reel plays, posting 13 points (6-8 FG) with nine rebounds and five blocks. The five blocks are tied for the eighth most in program history for a single game, last set by Devon Cottrell against Mercyhurst in 2017.
Kutztown (2-6, 2-1) did not go quietly, receiving a game-high 26 points from Kyree Generett. Robert Tucker secured a double-double inside with 13 points and 10 boards. The Bears stayed right with the Crimson Hawks throughout the opening half, later trimming a 19-point deficit down to single digits in the second half.
Brooks scored the initial six points of the contest, including an alley-oop from Jones along the left block for the opening points of the contest. Wesley Butler eventually countered back for the Golden Bears, sticking a jumper at 10:38 for a 15-12 lead. IUP responded with a 14-3 spurt with three consecutive baskets by Morris prompting a Kutztown timeout.
A stretch of three consecutive baskets and a foul shot for Sulaiman pushed IUP in front at 35-28.
Dallis Dillard, who finished with 11 points on the night, opened the second half with a dunk. Jones, who is now 19 points shy of 1,000 for his collegiate career, expanded the IUP lead to 13 at 47-34.
Kyle Polce lined up a triple from Morris, part of a stretch that swelled the IUP lead to 19 at the under-eight media timeout. A 10-0 KU run quickly pushed momentum in favor of the visitors, trailing by single digits at 64-55. The Hawks followed it up with baskets and defensive stops on its next three possessions, promptly moving back ahead by 15 at 70-55, capped by a fastbreak jump shot from Jones.
A quick Kutztown flurry brought the score to within eight points over the last two minutes, but the Crimson Hawks held on at the foul line. IUP had 11 steals on the night and limited Kutztown to just 2-of-11 from three in the second half.
Ousmane Diop made his season debut for the Hawks, scoring two points and picking upo a rebound in seven minutes.
Up Next
IUP faces one of its toughest tests to date, welcoming West Chester for a short turnaround on Monday, December 19. Tipoff from the KCAC is set for 7:30 p.m.
Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP men's basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_MBB.
